Authorities Recover Firearm Following Arrest of Winter Haven Couple

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, around 1:15 p.m., Winter Haven police responded to a disturbance involving a firearm at Santiago's Market. The incident escalated when officers detained a mother and her 3-year-old daughter at gunpoint, sparking community concern.
According to the Winter Haven Police Department, 29-year-old Godfrey Hercules was involved in an altercation with a store employee in the parking lot, during which a firearm was reportedly displayed. Hercules then left the scene in a red Nissan Altima with his partner, 27-year-old Mariah Banks, and their daughter. Officers located the vehicle at the American Legion Post on Avenue M NW. While Hercules was apprehended near the building, Banks and her daughter were ordered to the ground. Body camera footage shows Banks complying, with her daughter mimicking her actions.

Chief Vance Monroe acknowledged the distressing nature of the footage, stating, "The optics of this incident are bad. They're terrible." He emphasized that officers were unaware of who possessed the firearm and acted to secure all individuals present. Monroe added that once officers realized a child was involved, they lowered their weapons and attempted to comfort her.