A jury in Florida has found a Michigan mom guilty of aggravated child abuse and unlawful desertion of a child after she abandoned her one-year-old son on a beach in 2023.
The incident occurred on November 8, 2023, when Shamika Mitchell, who was visiting from Detroit, left her toddler on the beach near Main Street and Ocean Avenue in Daytona. Video surveillance showed Mitchell walking towards the beach with the child just before midnight and returning without him five minutes later.
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A woman discovered the child around 1 a.m. in distress, with waves crashing over his head. He was unresponsive and struggling to breathe when police arrived. The toddler was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, where he thankfully recovered.
When questioned by police, Mitchell falsely claimed she had left the child with his father, who was actually in Detroit. This blatant lie, along with the surveillance footage, contributed to her conviction.
The jury found Mitchell guilty on both charges. She faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
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State Attorney R.J. Larizza commended the verdict, stating, “This is a victory for the child and for our community. We will not tolerate the abuse or neglect of children.”
The Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant State Attorneys Ashley Terwilleger and Helen Schwartz prosecuted the case.
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