Volusia County Sheriff Confronts Suspect in Elder Fraud Case

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On February 19, 2025, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood released footage showing him meeting Shania Baptiste at a transport facility. In the video, the Sheriff addresses Baptiste directly, criticizing her alleged role in a financial scam that targeted an 85-year-old woman in Daytona Beach Shores. According to official statements, the victim was defrauded of more than $35,000 after being convinced she had won a $1 million sweepstakes prize and needed to pay 'taxes and fees' to claim it. Baptiste and her co-defendant, Nielsen Brooks, were identified by the Sheriff as the individuals responsible for the scheme. The video, which features the Sheriff telling the suspect he hopes there is a 'special place in hell' for her and her co-defendant, is part of a series of social media posts in which Chitwood documents the arrival of suspects extradited to his jurisdiction. While the Sheriff has publicly characterized the individuals as guilty, the case remains in the legal system, and no final court disposition has been reached.