Police Find 6-Year-Old Boy Dead in His Bedroom. His Mom Says She Was Trying to ‘Exorcise Demons Out of' His Body

A Florida female charged pinch nan decease of her 6-year-old boy allegedly told constabulary she was trying to "exorcise demons retired of” his body.

A lawman responded to nan Fort Pierce, Fla., location of Rhonda Paulynice and her son, Ra’myl Pierre, astatine astir 10:00 a.m. section clip connected Friday, May 30, to behaviour a use check, nan St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said. The 6-year-old, a student astatine Samuel Gaines Academy, had not attended people successful much than 2 weeks, and a schoolhouse assets lawman was concerned.

Upon arrival, Paulynice, 41, was successful nan driveway. She proceeded to escort nan lawman into nan home, wherever nan kid was “discovered deceased, lying connected his bed,” Sheriff Richard Del Toro said successful a press conference.

Investigators judge nan kid died connected May 18, but an autopsy will supply much information, Del Toro said. Due to nan magnitude of clip his assemblage was near connected nan bed, aesculapian examiners could not find nan mode of decease astatine nan scene.

May 18 was besides nan past time that Paulynice said to her son, detectives learned.

According to Del Toro, Paulynice — who is nan main fishy successful nan investigation — told detectives that she had attempted an exorcism connected nan 6-year-old, nan nonstop specifications of which are not known.

“What we did study successful speaking pinch nan mother is she believes she was being told by God to fundamentally exorcise demons retired of nan child’s body,” nan sheriff told reporters. “And erstwhile nan kid had stopped moving and fundamentally passed away, astatine that constituent she felt that nan kid had been released from those demons, and was waiting for him to fundamentally travel back, astatine that time.”

Del Toro besides said that nan 41-year-old mother exhibited “a batch of highs and lows during nan investigation, from laughing astatine different times astatine nan segment to crying.”

Paulynice was arrested and booked into jailhouse connected May 30. She was charged pinch second-degree murder, arsenic good arsenic nonaccomplishment to study a decease and willfully rubbing aliases moving nan body, clothing aliases immoderate article upon aliases adjacent nan body, according to jailhouse records. She is presently being held connected a $150,000 bond.

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Prior to nan find of nan child's body, nan St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office responded to nan Fort Pierce residence earlier for “domestic issues” involving Paulynice and her sister, Del Toro said, but nary involving nan mother and son.

Most recently, officials reported to nan location connected May 17 owed to a “medical issue” of Paulynice’s, nan sheriff added.

The pursuing day, which is erstwhile detectives judge she killed her son, Paulynice shared an inspirational belief station connected societal media. She shared respective akin posts successful nan days that followed, nan astir caller connected May 29.

Her last station featuring a photograph of Pierre was dated Dec. 8, 2024.

While expressing condolences for Pierre’s family, classmates and teachers, Del Toro offered immoderate penetration into what nan 6-year-old was for illustration anterior to his tragic death.

"From what I understand, this kid conscionable lit nan room up, and was loved by everybody," he said.