LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — A Pasco County mother and teacher has been charged with second-degree murder after authorities say she strangled her 6-year-old autistic son to death before attempting to take her own life in what she described as a moment of losing control.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, 40-year-old Justine Mroz called 911 just before 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, telling dispatchers that she had killed her son and was trying to kill herself. Deputies rushed to her home in Land O’ Lakes, where they found Mroz with self-inflicted cuts on her arms and the child lying unresponsive on the floor. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Investigators said Mroz told detectives that her son, who had been diagnosed with autism, was watching television when he began hitting his head and body against the floor. When she tried to restrain him, the boy reportedly bit and struck her in the face. Mroz said she became overwhelmed and “snapped,” admitting that she grabbed her son and choked him with both hands until he became unresponsive. She then retrieved razor blades, cut her wrists, and called 911 before texting family members an apology.
Authorities confirmed that Mroz had purchased the razor blades two days earlier and had previously attempted suicide the same morning before picking up her son from his father’s home. Detectives are continuing to review evidence and interview relatives as part of the ongoing investigation.
Pasco County Schools, where Mroz was employed, released a statement confirming her arrest and stating that she will not be allowed on any school campus. “On behalf of the entire Pasco County Schools family, we extend our deepest condolences to all who are grieving,” the district said. Crisis teams have been deployed to support staff and students affected by the tragedy.
Mroz appeared in court Monday, where she was formally charged with second-degree murder and ordered to remain in custody without bond. She is being held at the Pasco County Jail pending a pretrial hearing scheduled for October 27. Authorities have not released the boy’s name, citing privacy concerns, but described the case as deeply heartbreaking and urged families facing similar challenges to seek mental health support and community resources.