Former “America’s Got Talent” semifinalist Deshundre “Dre” Vinson has been charged with first-degree murder after his 4-year-old nephew drowned while unsupervised at an apartment complex pool.
Vinson, 22, was arrested Wednesday, Sept. 2, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office online booking report. His bond has been set at $750,000, per his inmate record, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The drowning occurred on Sunday, Aug. 16, at approximately 5:41 p.m. Local time, when Chattanooga Police officers responding to a separate incident heard screaming from the pool area of an apartment complex. When they arrived, CPR was already being administered to the unconscious child, who had been pulled from the water.
The boy was rushed to a hospital and remained in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for five days before he was pronounced dead.
Video surveillance showed the child enter the pool, slip from the edge he was holding, and drift into deeper water where he appeared in distress before submerging, according to local reports. The boy remained underwater for approximately nine minutes before being rescued.
Detectives determined that Vinson had been responsible for babysitting the 4-year-old, his 6-year-old brother, and additional children at the time of the incident. He allegedly allowed the children to walk approximately.2 miles to the pool with no adult supervision.
Vinson was not present at the pool before, during, or after the drowning, authorities noted. Police confirmed that messages between Vinson and the boy’s mother acknowledged the lack of adult supervision and addressed the response to the tragedy.
Officers at the scene found no adult who knew who the boy’s parents were or who he had been with at the pool, according to the initial report.
Vinson performed as part of CitiLimitz, an R&B trio consisting of himself and his cousins, twin brothers Amari (aka A.T.) and Amarion (aka Marion). The group reached the semifinals of “America’s Got Talent” Season 20 in 2025. The trio also appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in 2019.
The aggravated child abuse charges stem from Vinson’s alleged conduct in allowing multiple young children unsupervised access to the swimming pool. First-degree murder charges in Tennessee can apply when a death results from the commission of another felony, including aggravated child abuse.
The case has drawn attention due to Vinson’s prior television appearances and the group’s social media presence following their “America’s Got Talent” run. Neither Vinson’s cousins nor representatives for the talent competition have issued public statements regarding the arrest.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details about the ongoing investigation. The outlet has reached out to the office for further information.
Vinson’s Sept. 8 court date will mark his first formal appearance before a judge on the murder and child abuse charges.