Former ‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestant Deshundre Vinson, 22, Charged with First-Degree Murder in 4-Year-Old Nephew’s Drowning Death

POLICY WIRE — Chattanooga, United States — Deshundre Vinson, 22, a former contestant on America’s Got Talent and member of the musical group Citi Limitz, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated child abuse in connection with the drowning death of his 4-year-old nephew.

The boy died five days after being submerged for approximately nine minutes at a swimming pool in a local apartment complex on August 16, according to an arrest affidavit reviewed by WTVC.

Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed Vinson’s arrest occurred Wednesday in Chattanooga, following an unrelated call to the same apartment complex where deputies heard screams near the pool area and discovered CPR already underway on the unresponsive child.

Surveillance footage cited in the affidavit shows the boy walking unaided from the pool’s edge into deeper water, then struggling before disappearing underwater for the full nine-minute interval.

Authorities determined Vinson was supervising the 4-year-old, his 6-year-old brother, and several other children at the time—but permitted the two young boys to walk unsupervised for two-tenths of a mile to reach the pool.

The child was pulled from the water unconscious and transported to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 21.

Vinson previously performed with Citi Limitz on both America’s Got Talent and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)