• Call-in Numbers: 917-633-8191 / 201-880-5508

  • Now Playing

    Title

    Artist

    Former America’s Got Talent contestant Deshundre Vinson has been charged with murder in connection with the drowning death of his 4-year-old nephew, who authorities say was underwater for nine minutes.

    Vinson, 22, was arrested Wednesday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and charged with first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse stemming from the August 16 drowning at a local swimming pool, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said.

    Authorities were responding to a different incident at an apartment complex Wednesday when they heard screaming from the pool area — and found CPR was already in process on the little boy, Chattanoogan.com reported.

    The boy appeared to be unconscious when he was pulled out of the swimming pool. He had been underwater for about nine minutes, according to an arrest affidavit viewed by WTVC.

    He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries five days later.

    Deshundre Vinson, a former America’s Got Talent contestant, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to the drowning death of his young nephew last month
    Deshundre Vinson, a former America’s Got Talent contestant, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to the drowning death of his young nephew last month (Hamilton County Sheriff's Office)

    Surveillance video showed the boy walking from the edge of the pool into deeper water, according to the affidavit.

    The report states that the boy struggled before going underwater. Eventually, someone pulled him out and began CPR.

    Detectives later determined that Vinson, the boy’s uncle, was responsible for babysitting him, his 6-year-old brother and several other children at the time of the drowning.

    However, Vinson allowed the 4-year-old and 6-year-old to walk two-tenths of a mile to the apartment pool unsupervised, police said.

    In the affidavit, investigators note that Vinson sent messages to the boys’ mother acknowledging the lack of supervision and delayed response to the drowning.

    Police also said that Vinson and the person whose name was on the apartment lease moved out shortly after the drowning.

    He has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse. His next court date is scheduled for Tuesday.

    Vinson is part of Citi Limitz, a R&B trio that appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and America’s Got Talent.

    Read More


    Reader's opinions

    Leave a Reply