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Polk County, FL - A man from the United Kingdom has been arrested in Florida, accused of attempting to drown his daughter-in-law during a dispute at a vacation rental property.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Mark Raymond Gibbon, a 53-year-old from Beaconsfield, England, was charged with attempted second-degree murder and battery after deputies were called to the Solterra Resort in Davenport on Sunday, August 3rd.
Gibbon reportedly had an argument with his 33-year-old daughter-in-law over her children, which escalated into violence.
Witnesses told deputies that Gibbon allegedly pushed the woman into the backyard pool and held her head underwater multiple times, preventing her from breathing.
The woman's 9-year-old daughter jumped into the pool in an attempt to save her mother.
Gibbon reportedly stopped the attack when neighbors, who were staying nearby, informed him that they had contacted law enforcement.
Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County emphasized that visitors to the area are expected to behave appropriately. "It’s great that Polk County draws visitors from all across the world, but we expect vacationers to behave while they visit with us, just as we expect our lifelong residents to do the same," Judd said in a statement.
Gibbon was booked into the Polk County Jail and is facing charges related to the alleged incident.
Authorities continue to investigate the situation.