British Vacationer Charged With Trying to Drown Daughter-in-Law in Florida Resort Pool

A vacationer from the United Kingdom was arrested on Sunday and charged with trying to drown his daughter-in-law in an argument about his grandchildren.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said that Mark Raymond Gibbon, 62, has been charged with attempted second degree murder and two counts of battery.

The sheriff’s office said deputies were called to the Solterra Resort in Davenport late Sunday afternoon for a disturbance in a backyard swimming pool.

The 33-year-old victim and witnesses said the victim and Gibbon “began arguing about his grandchildren while they were in the vacation rental home swimming pool,” the sheriff’s office said.

A probable cause affidavit was more specific, Law&Crime reported, saying that the arguments stemmed over “stipulations” in Gibbon’s will.

Gibbon reported pushed the victim and held her head under water multiple times, eventually prompting her 9-year-old daughter to jump into the pool in an attempt to stop her grandfather from killing her mother, the sheriff’s office said.

Gibbon reportedly stopped only after a pair of sisters vacationing next door called out that they had called police.

“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,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. “Because Mr. Gibbon couldn’t control his anger, he may find himself spending a lot more time in Florida than he had anticipated.”

The affidavit said the Gibbon admitted pushing the victim under water but said he didn’t intend to drown her. He said they were both drinking and that she slapped him.