The tragic case of a two-year-old toddler who was found in the mouth of an alligator in St Petersburg, Florida, sent shockwaves across the United States (US).
Florida man arrested for feeding toddler to alligator
According to reports, the boy’s mother, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffery, was found murdered in her apartment with over 100 stab wounds on Thursday, 30 March 2023.
The following day, the boy, Taylen Mosley, was discovered in Lake Maggiore, having been thrown or placed there by his father, Thomas Mosley, according to court documents.
Thomas has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jeffery and their son.
According to the arrest affidavit, Thomas arrived at his mother’s home on the night of Wednesday, 29 March 2023 with “severe lacerations to both of his hands and arms consistent with injuries caused by slippage during a knife attack.”
He was taken to the hospital for his injuries.
The following day, the victims’ family discovered Jeffery’s body in her apartment with “apparent cuts and stabs in excess of 100 wounds.”
A frantic search for Taylen began after Jeffery’s body was discovered. The boy was found in Lake Maggiore the following day after authorities were alerted to an alligator that appeared to have something in its jaws.
The alligator let go of Taylen’s body after it was fired upon, and the reptile was euthanised.
The local police department said that the St Petersburg medical examiner will determine the cause of death for Taylen. Mosley has been booked into jail, and his attorney has yet to make a statement about the charges against him.
The family of Jeffery and Taylen has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for their funerals. Jeffery’s mother and great-aunt shared a letter over the weekend thanking law enforcement and concerned citizens who helped in the search for Taylen
“We are heartbroken that we must begin putting them both to rest,” the letter read.