TAMPA, Fla. — Witnesses say they saw Shakayla Denson walk to a nearby apartment complex moments before police arrested her in the murder of her 4-year-old daughter Thursday afternoon.
Erica Green is one of several residents at the complex who described Denson’s erratic behavior. They say she ran frantically through the apartment complex with wild hair, only wearing a bra and leggings.
Green says whatever Denson was saying wasn’t making sense.
“I was trying to make sure she didn’t have a knife on her but she was holding something like sticks,” Green said.
Green says she was standing near the porch of her apartment when Denson tried walking inside.
“I wouldn’t let her in my house,” Green said. “I didn’t know her. She was dressed funny, she was talking crazy.”
Witnesses described Denson yelling numbers in no particular order.
“113, 114, 115, those were the numbers she yelled out. She got to like 130, then she walked off and got in that boys car,” Wilnesha Staten said.
Staten and Green say they watched as Denson got in an unknown man’s car. They say she put the car in reverse and tried to get away. That’s when witnesses say the owner of that car told Denson to get out, but not before they say Denson invited a random child along for the ride.
“She was like, 'Come on KJ, come on.' The little boy corrected his name, he was like, 'My name is not KJ.'”
Staten and Green said they had no idea what was going on or any indication Denson was the woman police say dropped her daughter into deep waters of the Hillsborough River.
Staten said she recognized Denson from high school but couldn't recall her name.
10News looked into Denson’s criminal background and learned she’s been arrested for driving with a suspended license and for theft charges dating back two years ago.
In January 2015, a father allegedly threw his 5-year-old daughter off the Dick Misener Bridge in St. Petersburg. Police found her body half-submerged shortly after, but it was too late.
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