LAND O’ LAKES, FL – A Pasco County elementary school teacher is accused of murdering her 6-year-old son after authorities say she confessed to fatally strangling him in their Land O’ Lakes home on Sunday morning.
Justine Eve Mroz, 40, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after calling 911 and allegedly telling dispatchers she had killed her child, according to court documents. The victim was identified by authorities as Elliot Perez, a first-grader who lived with autism and was nonverbal.
Detectives responded to the Drexel Road home around 9:50 a.m. after Mroz reportedly phoned police herself, reporting that her son had died. Deputies discovered the child unresponsive. According to the arrest affidavit, Mroz admitted she strangled Elliot with her hands after an escalating struggle.
Investigators say the incident began the previous evening, when Mroz picked up Elliot from his father and put him to bed around 6:30 p.m. The next morning, she allegedly found Elliot had vomited and cleaned him up before turning on the television for him.
Shortly thereafter, Mroz told detectives that Elliot began hitting his head against the floor. She said she tried to restrain him, and the boy started fighting back, biting and kicking her, before striking her on the face.
At that point, Mroz said she “snapped” and used her hands to choke the boy. Authorities said she described pinning Elliot to the ground and squeezing his neck until he stopped moving. The affidavit notes that after the incident, Mroz cut her wrists and contacted family members with an apology before calling 911. She was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital North for treatment of her injuries and later tested positive for THC.
Family members told investigators that Mroz had exhibited emotional distress in the days leading up to the incident, including a reported suicide attempt the day before Elliot’s death. She had divorced her husband just months earlier, adding further strain to the household, authorities noted.
Pasco County school officials confirmed Mroz was an employee in the district but did not specify her role or length of employment. Following the arrest, the district stated that she would not be allowed on any school campus and that support teams are being made available to assist students and staff coping with the tragedy.
Elliot’s death has left the community reeling, prompting an outpouring of support for his family and calls for mental health awareness. Crisis counselors are being offered for those affected by the loss.
Mroz is being held without bail at the Pasco County Detention Center. She is slated for a status hearing at the West Pasco County Judicial Center on October 27. The investigation remains ongoing.