Wichita dad guilty in toddler’s 2020 drowning death in fenced, locked swimming pool

A man whose 2-year-old son drowned in a swimming pool in Wichita has been convicted of first-degree murder.

William Kabutu was convicted Thursday in the July 7, 2020, death of Omari Garcia in a pool at a mobile home park.

Prosecutors said Kabutu was drunk when he allowed Omari and his 4-year-old brother to squeeze through a fence around the closed pool. Omari went into the water and drowned.

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Kabutu was unable to get into the pool because of the fence and locked gate, prosecutors said.

He was convicted of first-degree murder, an alternative count of second-degree murder, and two counts of aggravated child endangerment. He will be sentenced on April 18.