The body of a two-year-old Florida boy was found in the mouth of an alligator after his mother was stabbed to death by the boy’s father..A detective from the St. Petersburg police department shot and killed the alligator said Police Chief Anthony Holloway at a news conference..The boy, Taylen Mosley, was missing after his mother, Pashun Jeffery, 20, was discovered killed in her apartment..She was stabbed more than 100 times said Holloway at the news conference..“Family gathered in Jeffery’s St. Petersburg apartment last Wednesday afternoon to celebrate Thomas Mosley’s 21st birthday, records show,” reports the Tampa Bay Times..“Jeffery had been living there about a month and Mosley had been staying for a few weeks.”.The newspaper said that by 5:15 PM the guests had left the party, leaving the small family alone..A neighbour later heard something coming from the apartment but did not report the noise..According to police arrest records, Thomas Mosley departed the apartment at about 8:42 PM, travelling to a lake area south of downtown St. Petersburg, about 10 miles from Jeffery’s apartment..“He arrived at his mother’s St. Petersburg house, which is about 10 blocks from the lake, just past 9 PM with severe lacerations to his hands and arms,” said the arrest records..“He was later admitted to St. Anthony’s Hospital. The wounds were consistent with injuries caused by slippage during a knife attack.”.“Meanwhile, Jeffery’s family grew worried when she couldn’t be reached for a daily FaceTime call on Thursday morning,” reports the Tampa Bay Times..“They arrived at the Lincoln Shores apartment and found blood on the sidewalk outside the apartment, according to the arrest affidavit. They called management, police said, who unlocked the door and found a very violent crime scene.”.The boy was not at the apartment; an Amber Alert was issued, and a search was launched, eventually leading police to a sprawling city park with trails, a fishing pier and putting green on the northwest side of Lake Maggiore..Holloway said officers were investigating the area when they spotted the alligator with “an object in its mouth” inside Lake Maggiore, adding that officers fired a round at the alligator, killing it, and forcing it to drop the child’s body..“We didn’t want to find him this way, but at least we can bring some closure to that family now,” said Holloway..Thomas Mosley was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
