A Florida mother and teacher was arrested after she allegedly said she “snapped” and killed her 6-year-old son, authorities said.
Justine Eve Mroz, 40, from Land O’Lakes was arrested Sunday on a second-degree murder charge, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office officials said.
Pasco County Sheriff’s Office
Pasco County Sheriff’s Office
Justine Eve Mroz
According to an arrest report, Mroz called 911 Sunday morning saying she had killed her 6-year-old son with her hands and wanted to kill herself.
Deputies responded to her home and found the boy unresponsive inside. He was airlifted to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Mroz was also found with self-inflicted lacerations to her wrists, the report said.
Officials said Mroz later spoke with investigators and said her son, who has Autism, had banged his head on the floor in the living room multiple times.
When she tried to stop him by placing her hand in between his head and the ground, she said he started hitting her and tried to bite her, the report said.
Mroz said after he hit her in the face she started choking him “hard” and “snapped” while she continued to choke him until he became unresponsive, the report said.
She said she didn’t attempt to give him CPR, and then tried to kill herself by cutting her wrists, the report said.
The report lists Mroz’s occupation as “teacher,” but it’s unknown where she taught.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.