37-year-old man died after the 34-year-old mother of his children approached him as he arrived to pick their kid from daycare and shot him multiple times; woman arrested
Florida – In a horrifying act of violence in Florida, a 34-year-old woman, identified as M. Osteen, has been arrested after gunning down the 37-year-old father of her children, identified as C. Jones, as he arrived to pick up their child. The brutal killing unfolded outside the daycare, leaving the community in shock and two children without a father.
Osteen now faces charges of first-degree murder after investigators say she deliberately approached Jones and opened fire on him multiple times while he sat inside a vehicle. Deputies confirmed that Osteen was taken into custody at the scene and is currently being held without bond. The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025. According to the sheriff’s office, Jones had gone to the daycare to pick up his child when Osteen confronted him with a handgun.
A sheriff’s release explained that the mother walked around the vehicle before firing multiple rounds at Jones. Deputies reported that Osteen made statements admitting her involvement when they arrived. A firearm was recovered from her possession. Jones was rushed from the scene to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Whether any children—possibly including their own—witnessed the attack remains unclear.
Authorities revealed that the parents had a history of domestic violence. Osteen, who has a lengthy criminal record dating back more than a decade, has been arrested several times since 2013 on charges including battery, drug possession, fraud, and even meth production. She previously served time in jail, and deputies noted her repeated encounters with law enforcement. Officials confirmed that Osteen and Jones had previously been in a relationship and shared children together. However, what led her to target Jones that day remains unknown.
The sheriff’s office emphasized the gravity of the attack, with one statement noting the mother’s chilling decision to walk around the car and then fire into it. Osteen was arrested at the daycare without resistance and transported to the county jail. She is being held without bond and was scheduled for her first court appearance the following morning.
Deputies stressed the swiftness of the response, crediting the 911 calls from witnesses near the daycare who described the shocking scene. The investigation remains ongoing, with detectives combing through the couple’s history to understand what may have triggered the fatal shooting. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether surveillance footage from the daycare or nearby businesses captured the attack.
For now, a community is left shaken, and a family is shattered. Two children have lost a father, while their mother faces a lifetime behind bars. What should have been a routine evening pickup at a daycare ended instead in irreversible tragedy. Osteen’s trial date has not yet been set, but prosecutors indicated they intend to pursue the maximum penalty allowable under Florida law. If convicted, she faces life in prison without parole.
