Justine Mroz, Land O’ Lakes, Florida mother and Pasco County mom strangles 6 year old autistic son and tries killing herself after ‘snapping,’ after boy having episode.
A Pasco County, Florida teacher accused of killing her 6 year old ‘autistic’ son to death is alleged to have told detectives that she ‘snapped’ before strangling the boy to death according to an affidavit from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Justine Mroz, 40, called 911 just before 10 a.m, Saturday on Oct. 19 and told the dispatcher she killed her son and was trying to kill herself.
Officers arrived Mroz’s Land O’ Lakes residence to find her with cuts and blood on her arms and the boy laying on the floor unresponsive. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, News 19 reported.
Pasco County teacher and mom snaps after 6 year old autistic son has episode
The woman told police that her son, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age, was watching TV when he started banging his head on the floor and hitting himself. When she tried to restrain him, he started hitting and biting her and struck her in the face.
Mroz told detectives that she got angry, ‘snapped,’ and grabbed him. The affidavit said she knelt over his body and began choking him with both hands, and continued when he tried to fight back. She told police she did so until the boy was lifeless.
At that point she left the room, obtained razor blades, cut her wrists and called 911. She then sent a text message to family members saying she was sorry, but didn’t include any other information.
Not immediately clear is what treatment/rehabilitation the boy was receiving along with resources extended, if any, to the mother.
Pasco County Schools release statement
During police questioning, the mother revealed she’d purchased razor blades just two days prior and attempted suicide on Saturday before picking her son up from his father’s house that afternoon.
Pasco County School officials confirmed that Mroz worked for the district in some capacity, but didn’t say at what school or what her specific duties were. The educator is understood to have taught grades 6 through 12.
Read a released statement: Pasco County Schools can confirm that Justine Mroz is employed by Pasco County Schools. She has been arrested by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and will not be on any school campus. In accordance with Pasco County Schools policy and employee privacy laws, no additional information will be provided at this time. On behalf of the entire Pasco County Schools family, we extend our deepest condolences to all who are grieving. We are deploying crisis teams to provide care and support to those affected by this heartbreaking event.
Mroz appeared in court on Monday where she was officially charged with second degree murder and remanded to remain in custody on no bond. She will be held at the jail until her pretrial hearing, which is set for next Monday, Oct. 27.
