Joseph Spring, a 2-year-old white male, died in early summer 1980 in Lakeland, Florida, while under the care of 17-year-old babysitter Christine Falling. At the time, his death was attributed to a viral infection, and no foul play was suspected. Joseph's death occurred just three days after the death of his 4-year-old cousin, Jeffrey Davis, who also died under Falling's supervision. Jeffrey's cause of death was listed as myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.
Both deaths were initially considered natural, and no charges were filed.
However, in July 1982, after the death of 10-week-old Travis DeWayne Coleman, authorities began to suspect a pattern. An autopsy revealed that Travis had died from suffocation, prompting a deeper investigation into Falling's past. Christine Falling was arrested on July 22, 1982, and subsequently confessed to killing three children: Cassidy Johnson, Jennifer Daniels, and Travis Coleman. She admitted to smothering the children with pillows or blankets, stating that she heard voices telling her to 'kill the baby.' In December 1982, Falling pleaded guilty to the three murders and was sentenced to life imprisonment. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors did not pursue charges for the deaths of Joseph Spring and Jeffrey Davis.
Despite the lack of formal charges in Joseph's case, Falling's confession and the circumstances surrounding his death suggest that he was one of her victims. Christine Falling remains incarcerated at the Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida.
