Nationwide — Shamika Mitchell, a 38-year-old mother from Michigan, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after abandoning her 1-year-old son in the Florida surf in November 2023. She reportedly left the child partially buried in wet sand, with waves crashing over his head.
A woman later discovered the child in the water “on his hands and knees, hands buried in the sand up to his wrists and waves were crashing over his head,” according to People.
The toddler was unresponsive when police arrived. He was quickly rushed to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for treatment and later recovered.
Initially, Mitchell falsely claimed to officers she had left her son with his father. However, it was later confirmed that the father was in Michigan at the time, not with the child.
Moreover, the toddler’s teenage sibling had called 911, telling authorities that Mitchell had been experiencing psychotic episodes before the incident.
At her sentencing, Mitchell was granted credit for 449 days served and will spend 15 years on probation after her prison term. She had faced up to 35 years in prison, but her public defender argued for a lighter sentence due to her lack of a criminal record and mental health issues.