DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -
Daytona Beach Police interviewed the pregnant mother who drove her van with her three children inside into the ocean hours before the incident.


Family members told police that 32-year-old Ebony Wilkerson, of South Carolina, was acting strange about two hours before driving the van into the ocean.

"Her sister had called dispatch and told them that she had been talking about demons that day before she left the house," Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Wednesday.

Wilkerson's sister told police she didn't think her sister would harm her children, but that she was "acting odd."

Police pulled Wilkerson over to do a well being check, but Wilkerson did not act in a way that would have allowed law enforcement to take her into custody, and she did not meet Baker Act requirements.

Johnson said Wilkerson was afraid her ex-husband would find and hurt her and the children. Wilkerson told the officers that she was going to her "safe place" that she worked out with a domestic violence shelter.

Police said Wilkerson would not tell officers or family members the location of her "safe place" because she was worried her husband would find out from them.

Tim Tesseneer, of Rutherfordton, N.C., said he was one of the two men to first reach the minivan.



"The two in the back seat was crying, with their arms out saying 'Our mommy's trying to kill us, please help,'" said Tesseneer.

A bystander's video of the rescue shows a rescuer carrying two children away from the sinking van when the children tell them there was another child inside.

"The kids are like, 'No there's a baby. There's a baby,'" Tesseneer said. "She (the mother) wouldn't say a word. She didn't tell us nothing about a baby."

The men are seen on the video frantically trying to get to the small child through the hatchback and the driver's side door. Wilkerson appears disoriented and walks away from the minivan, with the child still inside.

"She had this look on her face," said Tesseneer. "I can't describe it. It was just an awful blank look, like spaced out look."

The small child is eventually pulled to safety.

Wilkerson is still in the hospital. Deputies said she will have a mental evaluation and they will interview her to determine if she will be charged.

Her children, aged 3, 9 and 10, were also taken to the hospital and are OK, officials said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families currently has custody of the woman's three children. Officials said the children will be placed with family members after a background check.

By Jerriann Sullivan, Digital Editor-Wesh.com Orlando

Wow-thank God those babies came out alive-she had to have serious mental issues or possibly been on some heavy drugs:(

@sweeterthejuic3: I agree with u but maybe its just mothers from here I call it here cuz I'm from sc but it ain't the first from here do u remember Susan smith & another lady but I forgot her name

I don't remember her but, we have our crazies in Texas too!

Smh. that is sad, I am glad the kiddos were safe, but that is a mental scar they will never get over

Susan Smith drove her vehicle w kids into water-swam to safety-leavin her two adorable little boys to die:(:(