Teens Who Laughed As Man Drowned Will Face Charges

The group of Florida teens who filmed and laughed at a drowning man will face charges for not reporting his death, according to officials.

Authorities initially said there didn’t appear to be grounds to prosecute the teens caught on camera mocking 32-year-old Jamel Dunn as he drowned in Cocoa, Florida.

None of the teens called 911 for help during the July 9 incident, but state law does not require a witness to help a person in need.

However, Cocoa Police Chief Mike Cantaloupe said Friday that he will seek misdemeanor charges under a statute related to not reporting a death, news station WPLG reported. The recommended charges will be given to the Florida State Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether to prosecute the teens.

Cantaloupe’s announcement comes a day after the horrifying video showing Dunn’s final moments made headlines.

The disturbing footage recorded by one of the teens shows Dunn, who is disabled, struggle as he screams for help in the pond.

Cocoa Police Department spokesperson Yvonne Martinez said the teens, ages 14 to 16, had reportedly told him not to go into the water.

“He started to struggle and scream for help and they just laughed,” Martinez said. “They didn’t call the police. They just laughed the whole time. He was just screaming … for someone to help him.”

The teenagers didn’t stop joking about Dunn when he failed to surface in the water.

“Oh, he just died,” said one as the others laughed.

The teens left the Cocoa park without notifying anyone about Dunn’s death. Three days later, his body was discovered in the pond.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked at both the manner in which Mr. Dunn lost his life and the actions of the witnesses to this tragedy,” State Attorney Phil Archer said in a statememt, according to NBC News.

Dunn’s sister Simone McIntosh started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his funeral and to help his two daughters.

"Oh, he just died"

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