Copyright
CBS
The woman was shot for her four children, investigators say
The mother of a Florida student who took her first day of online lessons was killed while her 10-year-old made a Zoom call with her class, police say.
The shooting happened on Tuesday at 8 a.m. local time (1 p.m. GMT) in Indiantown, Florida, and was witnessed by five other children in the home.
According to investigators, the girl’s teacher heard arguments and was able to humble herself before the fatal shots were fired.
The suspect, Donald Williams, 27, was arrested after fleeing on a bicycle.
Maribel Rosado Morales, 32, was murdered for four of her own children and two young cousins, according to the Martinus Sheriff’s Office.
The girl, who is attending Warfield Elementary School, took her first day of online classes after the coronavirus pandemic forced schools in the area to turn to online learning. Florida is one of the least affected states in the US with more than 542,000 infections.
In a press conference, Sheriff William Snyder said Mr Williams went to the house to confront his ex-girlfriend over a Facebook video.
The teacher, he said, “heard a riot, heard blasphemy, realized it was some kind of domestic change.”
Copyright
Police handout
The suspect was arrested about an hour after the murder
“The teacher said she was dimming her button [so] no one needs to hear it, and then she sees the 10-year-old put her hands around her ears, ‘he went on, adding that the screen went black immediately after the child’s reaction.
He added that a bullet was found hitting the computer.
Mr. Williams fled on the bike before boarding the city bus. After he demanded that the driver take him to a neighborhood no one on her route, the driver called police.
Mr. Williams was arrested by a Swat team currently training in the area. According to the sheriff, he has already given a ‘full confession’.
He is charged with murder, as well as several other criminal charges, including a felony in possession of a gun. The sheriff said he would also be charged with armed burglary and armed invasion of home, and that there could be additional penalties due to the presence of children during the alleged crime.
The Florida Department of Children and Families will be tasked with finding new homes for the victim’s children, all of whom are between 10 and 17, researchers say.
“Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the victim’s family, including the children present at the home who witnessed this heartbreaking and senseless tragedy,” Warfield Elementary School and the Martin County School District said in a statement.
“We have committed our grief team to helping students and staff who will undoubtedly feel the impact of this terrible incident. We are ready to help and offer support in any way we can.”
