Flak over three teens’ deaths in a cemetery pond following a car theft chase prompted a Florida sheriff to release more dashcam footage of the incident Friday.
Family members of Dominique Battle, 16, Ashaunti Butler, 15, and Laniya Miller, 15, are questioning the Pinellas County Sheriff’s account of why deputies did not jump into the St. Petersburg pond to save them around 4 a.m. March 31, ABC News reported.
“In my opinion, this has been a rush to judgment,” said a lawyer for the families, William Anderson. “In my opinion, this has been a smear campaign.”
Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri has said the mud was too thick to get to the gold Honda Accord in the 15-foot deep pond after the teens stole it, led deputies on a chase and crashed into the water. The sheriff’s office released a video Friday showing three deputies with parts of their uniform off returning to their cars after wading into the mud off Gandy Blvd.