[CNN] A Florida police chief said he will recommend criminal charges be filed against five teenagers who taunted a drowning man while recording his death from afar.Stressing that the state attorney will ultimately decide whether to file charges, Cocoa Police Chief Michael Cantaloupe told CNN on Friday afternoon that he will recommend the teens be prosecuted under a statute that requires the reporting of a death to a medical examiner.
The chief's statement was a shift. In previous days, authorities said the teens wouldn't be charged because Florida does not have a law that obligates a citizen to render aid or call for help for anyone in distress.
On Friday, the office of State Attorney Phil Archer issued a statement, though not in response to the chief's comments about recommending charges.
"We were asked to make a preliminary review of the video regarding any potential charges for failure to provide aid," the state attorney's office said. "Unfortunately, there is currently no statute in Florida law that compels an individual to render, request or seek aid for a person in distress. We are, however, continuing to research whether any other statute may apply to the facts of this case."