A Michigan mother has been convicted of felony child abuse and unlawful desertion after leaving her 1-year-old son on Daytona Beach in Florida. Reports indicate that her teenage son contacted the authorities, stating that she was “possessed by demons,” as per police dispatch records.
“She sent my little brother somewhere,” the teen told authorities on Nov. 8, 2023, after calling 911 to report his mother’s actions, according to local NBC affiliate WESH. “She said with his dad,” the teen explained frantically. “I keep telling her to show me proof, proof, but she’s not showing me proof. … So, like, I really think my mom is possessed by demons.”
Shamika Mitchell, 38, from Detroit, could face a maximum of 35 years in prison following her conviction in Volusia County for abandoning her son. Prosecutors presented evidence during her three-day trial, highlighting surveillance footage that showed her “walking down a beach access staircase with the toddler in her arms just before midnight,” as reported by WESH. They noted that “five minutes later, Mitchell comes back from the beach without him.”
The teenage brother asked their mom where his brother was on Daytona Beach.
“I’m telling her to tell me proof because I know that he’s been having these little episodes lately,” the teen explained to the dispatcher. It’s unclear what caused the “episodes,” according to WESH.
According to police reports, a passerby discovered Mitchell’s son just when it was most crucial.
“She told Daytona Beach Police that he was in the water on his hands and knees,” police said in the incident report. “Hands buried in the sand up to his wrists and waves were crashing over his head.”
Officials indicated that the boy was not responsive and exhibited shallow breathing when discovered by emergency personnel, along with a heightened pulse. He was quickly taken to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and eventually recovered completely.
In December 2023, WJBK reported that Florida’s Department of Children and Families placed Mitchell’s five children, aged 1 to 17, into the foster care system following her arrest. Valerie Mitchell, their grandmother, shared with the outlet that she made a trip to the Sunshine State to help them but initially faced challenges.