On Friday, December 16th, at the Gaylord Palms Resort located in Kissimmee, Florida, police officers were called out for an incident at the pool.
Three children had been swimming in the luxury pool of the resort, including the victim and the autistic, nonverbal son of 36-year-old Tiffany Lee Griffith.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying witnesses noticed the splashing in the pool “became aggressive,” as the children were playing in the water.
“The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Tiffany Lee Griffith of Fort Myers, entered the pool and yelled at a 6-year-old boy after he allegedly dunked her 6-year-old son underwater,” Osceola County Sheriff’s Office explained.
“The suspect then placed her hands on the victim’s shoulders and forcibly dunked him underwater for several seconds. The victim exited the pool, visibly upset and suffering from a nosebleed, and immediately reported the incident to his parents. The suspect then began yelling at the victim’s mother before leaving the area.”
Tiffany stated that she was protecting her son from the 6-year-old boy in question. According to Tiffany, this kid put his hand on her son and dunked him underwater.
Tiffany got into the pool in order to remove her son from the water and also to say something to the kid’s parents after her son was touched.
Tiffany’s husband later testified in court that the kid in question had held their son under the water. He and Tiffany exchanged glances, wondering where this kid’s parents had gone, as he wasn’t being watched.
“He (Tiffany and her husband’s son) came up crying. The kid pushed him under again. That’s when Tiffany got into the water and basically separated him,” her husband said to the courtroom.
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Tiffany was charged with aggravated child abuse and arrested. She was taken to the Osceola County Jail and later released after she made bond, which was set at $20,000.
In accordance with her bond, Tiffany is not to have contact with the boy or his parents, nor can she visit the Gaylord Palms Resort again.
People had a lot to say in the comments of the post made by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
“Listen… I stay watching my kid while he is in the pool. If another kid dunks him….Let me just say that could be my mugshot, too. My kids are my world..sorry, not sorry. That’s why she got that smirk on her face. She caught a charge for her kid!!!” one person exclaimed.
“I mean, I bet he won’t bully other kids,” another person said.
“Two things can be true at the same time: a parent can feel fear or anger in the moment and still be wrong for how they respond. Protecting your own child is one thing, but physically holding another child underwater crosses a serious line. Adults are expected to de-escalate and involve other parents or staff, not take matters into their own hands. Intent doesn’t erase the risk or harm here,” a third weighed in.
You can view the original statement from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office here.
By Bre Avery Zacharski
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