A Florida stepmom faces serious charges after her 5-year-old stepson drowned in a man-made ditch, raising questions about supervision.
On October 11, Riley Scot Hogeback was playing outside when he fell into a man-made waste ditch. Sadly, he drowned after inhaling toxic fumes. His body was found by police, and it was a heartbreaking scene.
Reports say Fite was asleep when the accident happened. She had punished Riley by leaving him outside without clothes because he hurt a chicken. That day, the kids were playing in muddy puddles left by Hurricane Helene.
When Fite finally noticed Riley was missing, she jumped into the ditch to find him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t swim. She later told police that her phone fell into the muck while she tried to rescue him.
Authorities described the ditch as having a terrible smell, consistent with waste. Riley was remembered as a sweet boy who brought joy to those around him. Fite is currently in jail without bond and is due in court soon.
