Florida
Florida mom shared eerie final photo before she was allegedly stabbed to death by son, 17, a year after he killed his dad
The Florida mom allegedly stabbed in the neck by her knife-wielding teenage son over the weekend posted a haunting final message on Instagram the day before her gruesome murder.
Catherine “Cathy” Griffith, 39, was found dead in her Auburndale home by police officers who were called by her son, Collin.
Cops arrived to find her dead, with a knife wound to her neck, and the 17-year-old covered in her blood standing in front of the house.
“That old familiar body ache, the snaps from the same little breaks in your soul. You know when it’s time to go…Sometimes, givin’ up is the strong thing,” Catherine Griffith eerily captioned an Instagram post with lyrics from Taylor Swift’s “It’s Time to Go” with an image of a remote footbridge leading into a forest.
Happy times with Collin are seen in many posts on his mom’s feed, including one from May 5, where he is pictured in front of a bow-clad car.
“Happy early graduation present!!! Congratulations Collin on your brand new 2024 VW Jetta!!! I love you and am so proud of you!!!”
A series of posts from the Fourth of July weekend shows the smiling mother and son galavanting around Washington, DC, where they took in the fireworks on the National Mall and even toured the White House.
In many photos, the pair pose in the same position: Cathy in front, Collin right behind her, squinting through chunky plastic black-frame glasses.
“I’ve learned some of the hardest lessons in my 30’s but I’m vowing that my 39th year will be a year of living life to its fullest,” she wrote on Sept. 5, the day after her 39th birthday.
Deputies arriving at the scene Sunday said that Collin showed “zero emotion” after allegedly killing his mother.
Neighbors say that they saw him grab Cathy by the hair and pull her into the house as she repeatedly pleaded, “Let me go” before her body was discovered.
Collin told police that he and his mother were in the midst of a long physical fight, which resulted in her falling onto the knife — fatally lacerating her throat.
However, he quickly asked for a lawyer when investigators pressed him on the incongruities of his story with the evidence at the scene.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd described the scene as “cold-blooded murder.”
Collin had a history of abusing his mother, attacking her multiple times — including “stomping” on her — which resulted in the teen being held for mental health concerns.
Upon release from that stint in the state’s care, Collin allegedly threatened to kill himself or Cathy.
Cathy’s death comes roughly a year and a half after Collin was charged with fatally shooting his father, Charles, in their Lincoln County, Okla., home on Feb. 14, 2023.
No one else was home at the time. The then-15-year-old then told police that his father had cornered him in the house and, in an act of self-defense, he shot him once in the chest and once in the head.
The murder charge was dropped after Oklahoma authorities could not find evidence that disputed Collin’s claim of self-defense, Judd said.
Cathy Griffith shared a compilation of photos of her and Collin with Charles — including a shot of his headstone on Aug. 25.
“We broke the pattern but the pattern still broke us all into pieces. I still don’t regret leaving. I regret not leaving sooner,” a caption over the photos read.
Collin is being charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and violation of a no-contact order. The PCSO requested he be tried as an adult.
With Post wires
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A former Florida juvenile probation officer is facing more than 100 felony charges after investigators said she leaked confidential court and law enforcement information to people tied to a drug trafficking investigation.
Crystal Gaynell Ann Lawson was booked into the Orange County Jail on Thursday, according to Orange County Corrections records.
Investigators said Lawson improperly accessed the Comprehensive Case Information System, or CCIS, more than 100 times and shared information from active criminal cases with members of a drug trafficking organization.
FOX 35 Orlando reported Lawson was arrested on 113 felony counts of computer crimes for unauthorized access. Investigators said she allegedly accessed the database 106 times between January and May.
Lawson is accused of using the database to search for active criminal cases tied to members of the organization. Authorities said some of the information that was leaked included arrest warrants and documents connected to an active investigation.
Lawson was hired by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in February 2022. As part of that job, she was given access to the CCIS database. Authorities said she was fired later that year after an arrest, but her database access was not terminated.
See also: ‘Elf,’ ‘Couples Retreat’ actor jailed with no bond after Florida arrest
Investigators said the leaks resulted in lost evidence, unrecovered assets and at least one person fleeing to avoid arrest before later being taken into custody.
Lawson previously worked for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, where she had access to the court information system as part of her job. Authorities said she was later fired, but her database access was not terminated.
Orange County Corrections records list Lawson’s case status as “presentenced” and show multiple entries for “offense against computer users.”
The records list the arresting agency as the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and show bond amounts of $10,000 on several listed case sequences. The jail record also notes an “ICJIS Affidavit.”
ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.
The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.
While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.
The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.
In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.
The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.
Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.
At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.
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SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
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