Florida Woman Charged in Pool Incident

A woman in Florida has been arrested after allegedly forcing a 6-year-old boy underwater at a hotel pool. Tiffany Lee Griffith, a 36-year-old from Fort Myers, reportedly confronted the child during an incident at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee. This event took place earlier this month, leading to charges of aggravated child abuse against her, as confirmed by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on December 19, when Griffith’s son and two other children were playing in the pool. According to investigators, the boy had submerged Griffith’s son, which prompted her to intervene directly.

Authorities state that Griffith shouted at the boy and then allegedly pushed him down, forcing him to stay submerged for several seconds. The child emerged visibly distressed, with injuries including a bloody nose, and informed his parents about what happened.

After the confrontation, Griffith reportedly yelled at the boy’s mother before leaving the scene. Following this, officers located her and made the arrest.

Interestingly, Griffith has a background in law enforcement; she previously served with the Punta Gorda Police Department from 2013 to 2018, known then as Tiffany Lee Viola. During her time there, she worked as a school resource officer and was recognized for educating students on issues such as bullying, internet safety, and more. She was even named “Employee of the Quarter” in 2016.

Griffith was booked into the Osceola County Jail but was later released after posting $20,000 bail. As of now, neither the Punta Gorda Police, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, nor Gaylord Hotels have provided comments regarding this matter.