A Florida woman is in police custody after she tossed her 4-year-old daughter off a Tampa Bay bridge on Thursday. Shakayla “Kayla” Denson, 26, was arrested after police responded to a 911 call reporting a child had been thrown off a bridge.
Denson walked to the railing of the Hillsborough bridge and dropped her daughter, Je’Hyrah Daniels, into the water. The girl was found unconscious about 75 feet from the shore. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police spotted Denson walking nearby and arrested her. She was charged with aggravated child abuse and grand theft auto. Denson allegedly stole a grey Nissan Altima from a repair shop to drive to the bridge.
“Unfortunately at this time, there are much more questions than there are answers,” Police Chief Brian Dugan told reporters according to Fox 13 News. “It’s the craziness of the world we live in at this time.”
Denson created a GoFundMe page for her daughter nine months ago. Denson explained that Je’Hyrah was on the autism spectrum, and she needed donations for “therapy equipment” and Je’Hyrah’s future.
“My goal is to start saving for therapy equipment, and also for Je’Hyrah’s future,” she wrote. “I’ve also gathered interest in reaching out to others living with autism, and would enjoy providing strategies and resources I’ve [learned] to help them get [through] the day. Thanks and I appreciate it.”
