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A woman accused of forcibly holding a 6-year-old boy underwater at a Florida hotel is a former law enforcement officer who once spoke to students about the dangers of bullying, according to reports.
Tiffany Lee Griffith, 36, of Fort Myers, was arrested earlier this month and charged with aggravated child abuse following the alleged incident at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened shortly after 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19, when three children were playing in the resort pool, authorities said.
Investigators said a 6-year-old boy allegedly dunked Griffith’s son underwater, prompting Griffith to enter the pool and confront him.
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Tiffany Lee Griffith, 36, was arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse. (Osceola County Sheriff’s Office)
“The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Tiffany Lee Griffith of Fort Myers, entered the pool and yelled at a 6-year-old boy after he allegedly dunked her 6-year-old son underwater,” the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said. “The suspect then placed her hands on the victim’s shoulders and forcibly dunked him underwater for several seconds.”
The child left the pool visibly upset and had a nosebleed. He then told his parents about the incident, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Griffith then yelled at the boy’s mother before leaving the area. Deputies later located and arrested Griffith, authorities said.
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The Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center (Google Maps)
Griffith later told police she was a former law enforcement officer. She worked for the Punta Gorda Police Department from 2013 to 2018 under the name Tiffany Lee Viola, authorities told WPBF 25 News.
During her tenure, she reportedly served as a school resource officer.
Posts on the Punta Gorda Police Department Facebook page show Griffith teaching students about topics including bullying, sexting and internet safety, WPBF 25 News reported.
“She is teaching a course educating high school freshman on the negative consequences of bullying and sexting, as well as common crimes that occur involving high school students as either the perpetrator or victim,” one department post stated.
Griffith was also recognized as the department’s Employee of the Quarter in 2016, according to WPBF 25 News.
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Griffith was booked into the Osceola County Jail and later released on $20,000 bond. (Getty Images)
Griffith was booked into the Osceola County Jail and later released on a $20,000 bond, according to WPBF 25 News.
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The Punta Gorda Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and Gaylord Hotels did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Sophia Compton is a Writer at Fox News Digital. Sophia was previously a business reporter covering finance, energy and tourism and has experience as a TV news producer. She graduated with a journalism degree in 2021 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.