A Valrico mother has been arrested for attempting to drown her three young children at a community pool following an altercation with their father and a distressing social media broadcast, authorities said. Shaniece Willingham, 24, was involved in an argument in the early hours of Wednesday before she was seen in an Instagram livestream declaring her intention to end her and her children's lives. As reported by WFLA, court documents allege she tried to do so after stating she could no longer cope and that her children would be "safe with God."
Family members who viewed the livestream rushed to the scene and prevented the tragedy. Willingham has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, as noted by the WFLA report. "This incident is nothing short of horrific," Sheriff Chad Chronister was quoted saying in a statement obtained by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. Despite the challenges of mental health that Willingham alleged to struggle with, Chronister emphasized that such conditions could not justify her actions.
Further details emerged from FOX 13 that during a child custody hearing, the father of the children, Theo Williams, sought to obtain custody, claiming he was not aware of Willingham's mental health struggles. Attorneys for the children countered, "They just said I had knowledge of her mental health," indicating Williams might have been more informed than he acknowledged. This was reported in an interview with Williams obtained by FOX 13.
Residents in the neighborhood expressed their shock and sorrow over the incident. One expectant mother, Jazmine Force, empathized with Willingham despite not understanding her actions, suggesting the overwhelming nature of motherhood especially without support, as recounted by WFLA. Following this event, local authorities have sought to remind to anyone facing mental health issues that help is available by calling 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or dialing 211 for local support services.
