16-year-old boy died after his mother tried to scare him and “racked the slide back,” then pointed the gun at the boy before shooting him in the head; mother charged
Kansas – In a tragic incident in Kansas, a 46-year-old mother, identified as T. Florence, is facing severe legal consequences after fatally shooting her 16-year-old son. The event occurred earlier this month in the family’s apartment, marking a devastating turn in what authorities describe as a heated moment gone horribly wrong.
Florence has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated burglary. Florence’s arrest followed her distraught admission to the police at the scene of the shooting, where she reportedly said, “I shot my baby,” as she was overwhelmed with emotion.
The incident unfolded on the morning of October 9, when police officers were called to Florence’s apartment following reports of a shooting. According to police affidavits, Florence was found outside the apartment, visibly distraught and in a state of despair, as she collapsed to the ground, crying out in anguish.
Inside the apartment, Florence’s 16-year-old son was discovered lying face-down on the living room floor, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his head. The young teenager’s death was declared two days later, compounding the tragedy that has since drawn widespread attention to issues of firearm safety and mental health in family dynamics.
The situation reportedly escalated after Florence and her son had an argument about his refusal to attend school that day. According to the police affidavit, the teenager was being troublesome at home, nagging his mother repeatedly and expressing his intent to obtain marijuana. His behavior escalated to causing minor destruction within the home, which seemed to have been done to aggravate his mother.
Florence told investigators that the fatal moment came when her son retrieved a Ruger Security 9 mm handgun from a backpack. She claimed that her son did not make threats or point the gun at her; rather, he was merely holding it. In response, Florence lunged to take the gun away, and in the heat of the moment, pointed it at her son while questioning, “do you just want to die?” Shortly after, the gun discharged.
Florence insisted during her police interview that she had not intended to shoot her son. She believed the gun was empty, though she recalled possibly loading two rounds into it weeks before the incident. When questioned further, she admitted that she “racked the slide back,” chambering a round when she took the gun from the boy. Despite this, she maintained that her only intention was to scare him, not to cause harm.
This incident has left the community and the family devastated. Florence’s actions not only resulted in the death of her young son but also led to her arrest and the potential for a life sentence, highlighting the grave consequences of firearms in domestic situations.
The case has also resurfaced details of a prior incident in March, where Florence is accused of breaking into her ex-husband’s home and threatening him and his girlfriend with the same handgun used in her son’s shooting. This prior altercation has added complexity to her legal troubles, painting a picture of ongoing issues with anger management and proper conduct.
Florence is currently being held on a $1.2 million bond. Her case continues to develop, with her next court appearance scheduled to address both the murder of her son and the charges stemming from the March incident. As the legal process unfolds, the community and advocates continue to stress the importance of securing firearms and seeking help for mental health issues, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.
