Charges reduced for woman accused of driving kids into ocean

A pregnant mother who drove her van with her children inside into the ocean is facing lesser charges.

The State Attorney's Office said Tuesday that Ebony Wilkerson has been charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder and three counts of child abuse.

>> Dramatic rescue after van full of kids is driven into ocean

Video shot by beachgoers in early March showed Wilkerson drive her minivan with her children – ages 3, 9 and 10 – inside, into the rough ocean surf at Daytona Beach.

Volusia County Sheriff's investigators said Wilkerson locked the doors of the van, put up the windows and told her three frightened children to "close their eyes and go to sleep," and then drove into the ocean.