A Florida mother and her toddler son were brutally murdered, and the father has been charged with first-degree murder.
On March 30, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffrey’s body was discovered inside her St. Petersburg, Florida apartment. One day later, Tampa Bay Times reported that police found the body of her 2-year-old son, Taylen Mosley, inside an alligator’s mouth after the young woman’s family had issued an AMBER Alert. St. Petersburg police retrieved Taylen’s cadaver after an officer saw the creature holding the deceased child in his jaws. The brave cop fired his weapon, startling the alligator and causing it to release Taylen’s body. He was at Dell Holmes Park– roughly ten miles from where he lived with his doting mom.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway divulged that Thomas Mosley, 21, was detained and charged with first-degree murder concerning the pair’s tragic death. The commanding officer also gave a timeline leading up to the spine-chilling discoveries.
Pashun reportedly went to work late Wednesday afternoon at CVS. Family members said they last saw her and the toddler shortly after 5 pm. At 8:30 pm, neighbors claimed they heard loud noises from the 20-year-old woman’s apartment, but nobody called the police.
Her mother, Lakita Denson, became suspicious and called the property manager when she couldn’t contact Pashun– which was unusual because the pair Facetimed daily. Upon executing the wellness check, her daughter’s body was discovered inside the apartment she had lived in for one month.
Thomas allegedly stabbed Pashun repeatedly on March 30. After going to his mother’s house, the suspect checked himself into a local hospital that evening for lacerations on his arms and hands. The man was arrested and taken to Pinellas County Jail when the hospital discharged him on March 31. He hasn’t been cooperating with investigators and doesn’t have legal representation.
Holloway praised officers for their diligence and dedication in finding Taylen despite the unfortunate outcome.
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“It’s very tough for these men and women,” he expressed. “We didn’t want to find him this way.”
Holloway also mentioned that the St. Petersburg police deployed almost every tactic available to find the boy, including drones and the diving team. The alligator was put to sleep.
Pashun’s mother is now trying to raise money to bury the mother and son. Lakita and her aunt, Theo Sails, “initially” launched a GoFundMe to aid in the search for the little boy, but the grisly turn of events has caused the fundraiser to become funds to help with funeral arrangements.
“We initially set this fundraiser up to help us raise funds in our search for Taylen, and unfortunately, we have to turn this into a memorial fundraiser,” the site read. “Your prayers and positive thoughts have been a blessing to us, and for those who asked about other ways to help, we have set up the fundraiser. Any amount is appreciated and will be used for funeral arrangements and to help support the family.”
Via the GoFundMe page and a photo of Pashun, the grieving mother wanted the public to know that her beloved daughter was a hands-on, devoted mom, close to her family and an honor student when she graduated from Boca Ciega and Northeast High Schools.
“We chose this picture because you will see Pashun’s pride at this moment. She was in her graduation gown, holding Taylen when he was just a baby,” Lakita expressed. “This picture shows how beautiful Pashun was and how dedicated she was to make a better life for her son. Pashun knew being a single mom would be challenging, but she was determined to provide for her son.”
Lakita also described her grandson and how much he adored his mother.
“Taylen was a sweet and happy toddler and loved his mom. 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.”
The donation site has raised almost $22,000 of its $30,000 goal, with the highest contribution being $1,000.
According to South Florida Law’s website, the maximum sentence for a first-degree murder conviction is “punishable by a sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole. It is defined as a capital felony, and in under certain conditions, the prosecution can press for the death penalty.”
If Thomas is guilty, we hope he rots in hell.
