(TAMPA - 970 WFLA) Tampa Police have charged a mother with murder after they say she threw her 4-year-old daughter into the Hillsborough River, leaving her to drown, then walked away.
At approximately 4PM Thursday, Tampa Police say the received a report that a woman, later identified as 26-year-old Shakayla Denson, had waded halfway into the river, just north of the Columbus Drive bridge and threw the her daughter, 4-year-old Je'Hyra Daniels into the water.
Denson then waded back to shore and began walking away before officers found her nearby. Tampa Police dive team officers found Daniels, unconcsious and under water, about 75 feet from shore. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
According to police, Denson also stole a car from a repair shop on 40th Street and drove it to Rome Avenue where she parked it before throwing her daughter into the river.
Denson is now facing First Degree Felony Murder, Aggravated Child Abuse and Grand Theft Motor Vehicle Charges.
Photo credit: Tampa Police