A young child discovered in an alligator’s mouth believed to have been dumped in a Florida lake by his father.
A St. Petersburg police affidavit claims that Thomas Mosley, 21, “did toss or place” his 2-year-old son Taylen in a lake, causing “mortal wounds” that resulted in the boy’s demise.
After his mother Pashun Jeffery, 20, was found dead from multiple stab wounds in her residence on Thursday afternoon, Taylen was reported missing.
Taylen had vanished.
A police officer on Friday saw an alligator with Taylen in its mouth near Dell Holmes Park. The officer fired at the gator which dropped the body. The reptile was killed. Taylen had died of his injuries.
‘Taylen was a sweet and happy toddler and loved his mom,’ states a GoFundMe page for their funeral expenses.
‘During Pashun’s work breaks, she would facetime so that she could spend every moment possible with him. During the day, Taylen would grab anyone’s phone and pretend to call his mom.
‘To see them together and their love for each other was a blessing. We will remember their love and will keep them in our hearts.’
Jeffery’s family went to find her on Thursday and spotted blood on the sidewalk by her apartment. She was inside with ‘apparent cuts and stabs in excess of 100 wounds’, according to the affidavit.
‘A bloody fingerprint on a cleaning bottle which had been intentionally placed under a bed in the crime scene was identified to’ Mosley, states the affidavit. ‘A bloody shoe print with a “Gucci” emblem was located on the bathroom floor where the victim was found.’
Mosley has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His bond hearing is set for April 11.
Jeffery’s great-aunt, Theo Brickhouse-Sails, said she felt something was wrong when she kept calling and they went to voicemail.
‘I would have never, in a million years, when this week started, ever thought that something like this would happen,’ Brickhouse-Sails told WFLA. ‘We were supposed to have taken Taylen Saturday.’
The GoFundMe fundraiser had garnered more than $41,600 as of Wednesday afternoon. The boy and his mother’s funeral service will take place on Saturday.