A woman from Detroit, Michigan, named Shamika Mitchell, was arrested in Daytona Beach, Florida, after her baby was discovered unresponsive and cold at a Volusia County beach. The incident led to Mitchell being charged with child neglect, a felony offense. The search for the 1-year-old boy began on November 10 when Mitchell’s teenage son asked about his baby brother’s whereabouts. Mitchell had left her car, which had three other children inside, and walked away with the baby. However, she did not return with the child. Mitchell claimed to have given the baby to his father after meeting him at a nearby convenience store. However, her son doubted this as the father lived in Detroit. An arrest affidavit later revealed that Mitchell had intentionally left the baby unattended at the beach.
The baby boy was eventually found at Main Street and Ocean Avenue, being cared for by four bystanders who were trying to warm him up. They removed his wet diaper in an effort to dry and warm him. A deputy took the child, who was shivering and had an elevated pulse, into his patrol car and worked to warm him until medical personnel arrived. The current condition of the baby is unknown as of Tuesday afternoon.
In response to the situation, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) took custody of the other three children for the night. Eventually, the grandparents of the children traveled from Michigan to Florida to take them in.
Shamika Mitchell remains in custody at the Volusia County Jail, with her bond set at $50,000.
