Police: Mom, 2 children victims of attempted robbery at ATM in Clermont

Woman being held in Lake County Jail with $300K bond, police say

CLERMONT, Fla. – A mother and her two children were the targets of an attempted armed robbery Thursday night while in their car at a Wells Fargo ATM on Highway 50, Clermont police said.

Clermont police said Schnique Konyetta Miller, 47, was armed with a knife when she approached the woman's car and demanded money from her.

The victim's maternal instincts kicked in and she was able to help police catch Miller, officials said.

The victim, Sheree Orduna, quickly rolled up her window and locked her doors before Miller started pulling on the door handle, according to the police report. Orduna's 17-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son were also in the car.

"(She was) saying 'I need a dollar, give me money,' and I saw her coming, so I automatically, I hit cancel on the ATM," Orduna said. "I pulled the card out, and I put my window up."

Miller continued yelling demands for money and pointed the knife at the family as Orduna drove off, the victim told police.

"She tried opening my door several times," Orduna said. "That's when I needed to get my kids to safety, that was my first priority ... my children."

As the woman was driving away, she saw Miller run toward Highway 50, according to the report. Orduna continued to drive to find a safe spot to call 911. She was able to give the operator a description of the woman and point them in the direction she headed.

As officers approached the scene, one officer spotted Miller at a nearby intersection and was able to identify her based on the description the woman had given.

"She was attempting to approach another vehicle, but (the officer) was able to intercept with his vehicle and stop her from engaging with other citizens," Clermont Police Officer Michelle Rogers said.

Police said Orduna and her children were located a short time after. The three were safe and helped officers to positively identify Miller, but Orduna said she's still in shock thinking about what could have happened.

"She could have sliced me with the knife, she could have stabbed me, she could have gone after my kids," Orduna said. "There were so many possibilities that could have happened."

Miller was arrested and transported to Lake County Jail on an attempted armed robbery with a deadly weapon charge, police said. She is being held on a $300,000 bond.

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