Ebony Wilkerson, the pregnant mother who drove her two children into the surf at Daytona Beach, has been charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder and three counts of child abuse in the incident with a bail set at $1.2 million on Saturday by a Florida judge, according to Reuters.
The incident occurred on Tuesday and tourist's video captured lifeguards and bystanders rushing to help pull the children, ages 3, 9 and 10, out of the van as it was being buffeted by waves in the Atlantic Ocean, Reuters reported.
As beach safety officers rushed toward the vehicle, Wilkerson got out of the van and then tried to block the officers from getting to the children, witnesses reported, according to Reuters.
Witnesses recorded the moment the pregnant mother, who said she had spoken to demons before the incident, drove the minivan carrying her three young children into the wave, Reuters reported.
Investigators said the children had managed to lower the windows and were screaming for help while the mother drove deeper into the water, according to Reuters.
The oldest child could be seen trying to wrest control of the steering wheel from her mother, investigators said, Reuters reported.
Wilkerson's sister tried twice to get mental health treatment for Wilkerson the day before she drove the van into the water, the affidavit said, according to Reuters.
Before Tuesday's incident on the beach, Daytona Beach Police had been called to evaluate Wilkerson by her sister, but police determined she did not qualify for involuntary mental health confinement, according to the affidavit, Reuters reported.
The arrest affidavit said Wilkerson travelled to Florida from South Carolina during the weekend to escape an abusive marriage, according to Reuters. On Saturday afternoon, Wilkerson had not posted bail and remained in jail.
