A Michigan mother has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after abandoning her 1-year-old son on Florida’s Daytona Beach, a terrifying incident that could have turned tragic if not for a stranger’s quick action.
Shamika Mitchell, 38, was found guilty in November 2024 of aggravated child abuse and unlawfully deserting a child. On Thursday, Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Karen Foxman handed down her sentence, highlighting Mitchell’s troubling behavior at the time—using marijuana, drinking alcohol, and possibly even meth while caring for her young son.
The frightening ordeal happened on the night of November 8, 2023. Surveillance cameras captured Mitchell walking onto Daytona Beach with her toddler just before midnight. But just five minutes later, she returned alone.
The alarm was raised by Mitchell’s teenage son, who called 911, claiming his mother was acting strangely.
“She sent my little brother somewhere,” the teen told authorities. “She said with his dad. I keep telling her to show me proof, but she’s not showing me proof… I really think my mom is possessed by demons.”
He added that she had been having “episodes” lately, though it’s unclear what exactly caused them.
A stranger later found the little boy just in time. According to police, he was discovered in the water, buried up to his wrists in sand, with waves crashing over his tiny head. When first responders arrived, the child was unresponsive, breathing shallowly, and had an elevated pulse. He was rushed to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, where he made a full recovery.
In the wake of Mitchell’s arrest, Florida’s Department of Children and Families placed all five of her children, then aged 1 to 17, into foster care. Their grandmother, Valerie Mitchell, desperately tried to bring them home, making countless calls for help.
“I’ve called everybody, and I need some help,” she said at the time. “My grandsons want to come home.”
Finally, just days before Christmas, on December 19, 2023, her wish came true. A case manager brought the children back, placing them in Valerie’s custody.
“I am so happy, I just don’t know what to do,” she shared after their arrival. “I’m just happy they’re home.”
Though the young boy thankfully survived, the shocking events of that night left a lasting impact on the family. Now, with their mother behind bars, the children are safe in their grandmother’s care, getting a fresh start after a traumatic chapter in their lives.
