Florida Teacher Arrested After Killing 6-Year-Old Son

A Florida mother and teacher, Justine Eve Mroz, 40, from Land O’Lakes, was arrested Sunday after she confessed to killing her 6-year-old son, who had autism. Mroz called 911, telling dispatchers she had strangled her son “with her hands” and wanted to take her own life.

Deputies found the child unresponsive in the home; he was airlifted to a local hospital and pronounced dead. Mroz was found with self-inflicted wounds on her wrists and later charged with second-degree murder.

According to the arrest report, Mroz told investigators that she “snapped” after her son began hitting her and tried to bite her. She admitted to choking him “hard” until he became unresponsive and made no attempt to perform CPR before attempting suicide.

Authorities have not confirmed where Mroz worked as a teacher. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.