The death of 31-year-old Jamel Dunn in Cocoa, Florida in the summer of 2017 centers on a disturbing episode of bystander cruelty. On July 9 Dunn, described as disabled, entered a retention pond and struggled in the water while five teenagers aged 14 to 18 watched and recorded on a cell phone. Video later showed the teens laughing, mocking him, yelling that he was going to die, and making no attempt to call for help as Dunn went under.

Dunn’s body was not found until five days later after his fiancée reported him missing. Police called the teens’ behavior utterly inhumane, but investigators initially concluded no law required a bystander to render aid. Authorities recommended misdemeanor charges for failing to report a death, yet the State Attorney’s Office ultimately declined to file criminal charges, saying existing law did not support prosecution. The case prompted calls for a Good Samaritan law to criminalize failing to assist someone in critical need.

Did anyone in the Cocoa area know Dunn or witness the events at the retention pond?