Quick-thinking family members intervene, pulling the young children from a community pool; Sheriff calls the act ‘horrific’ and ‘a deliberate act of cruelty.’
VALRICO, Fla. – A Valrico woman is facing multiple charges after being arrested for allegedly attempting to drown her three young children at a community pool early Wednesday morning.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call at a community pool on Sacramento Street at 1:28 a.m. on September 24, 2025. Upon arrival, they found 24-year-old Shaniece Willingham on the pool deck.
Her three children, ages 8 months, 2 years, and 3 years, had already been rescued from the water by family members and taken to a nearby home.
According to the investigation, Willingham had left her parents’ home with her children after an argument. Shortly after, she began posting a series of disturbing videos to her Instagram stories, in which she declared her intent to harm herself and her children.
Alerted by the social media posts, family members rushed to the pool. They arrived to find Willingham throwing the children into the water before jumping in herself and holding them underwater. The family members immediately intervened, pulling everyone from the pool.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue evaluated the children at the scene. Fortunately, they did not sustain any significant injuries. Willingham was taken into custody.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned the act, calling it “nothing short of horrific.”
“The fear and betrayal these innocent children must have felt, at the hands of the one person meant to love, care for, and protect them, is unimaginable,” Sheriff Chronister said. “This decision was not a cry for help, it was a deliberate act of cruelty. Mental health challenges may provide an explanation, but there is no excuse, no justification. These children were failed by their own mother, and it is only by the quick actions of their family that they are alive today.”
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. The Public Affairs Office will provide updates as they become available.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, help is available. You can call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or dial 211 to connect with local support services.
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