Justine Mroz: Teacher Faces Murder Charge After Autistic Son’s Death

Justine Mroz, a 40-year-old teacher, sounded eerily level-headed when Florida deputies rolled up to a home in Land O’ Lakes on a weekday morning following a phone call no one wants to take.

New Footage

According to newly released bodycam footage and audio shared by host Chris Stewart on Law&Crime Network, Mroz allegedly said, “I killed my son and I’m trying to kill myself.”

The audio cut out briefly, but the intent was clear, per WTSP.

When the dispatcher asked how it happened, Mroz allegedly replied, “I choked him.”

Inside the House

The primary focus of the new Law&Crime segment centered on this newly obtained bodycam footage, which captured the immediate aftermath of the October 2025 incident.

The footage tracked the intense moments as deputies arrived at the residence with their rifles drawn.

Redacted audio shields the exact conversation inside the home, but Justine Mroz can be heard calmly telling officers, “right here,” as they entered.

The Victim

Stewart pointed out an observation from the scene. As the camera panned the home, a pink basket overflowing with children’s toys sat in the corner.

The victim was her six-year-old son, Elliot Perez. He was non-verbal and on the autism spectrum.

Court documents revealed the boy allegedly died after being strangled. Per Internewscast, his medical records noted hemorrhaging in both eyes.

The paperwork also detailed that, “The victim had light marks on the left side of his neck.”

The Confession

In the video shown during the podcast, Justine Mroz told police Elliot was attempting to bang his head on the floor.

“The defendant stated the victim then began hitting her and attempted to bite her in the face,” documents showed.

Mroz admitted she “snapped” and pinned the boy down. She continued choking him until he stopped moving. She didn’t try CPR.

The Father’s Account

The video also shows the moment deputies had to break the news to Elliot’s father outside the home. He was completely unaware of the magnitude of the situation.

He told the deputy he thought Mroz seemed fine when they exchanged custody the day before. The couple shared 50/50 custody and had finalized their divorce earlier that summer.

The father mentioned Elliot regularly hit his head on the floor as a coping mechanism. He also expressed frustration that the boy’s special needs school had been canceling classes “way too freaking much,” disrupting the routine the child heavily relied on.

High-Profile Defense

Later in the footage, Mroz is shown wrapped in a blanket, being processed into the county jail after receiving treatment for large lacerations on both of her wrists. Prosecutors noted she bought razor blades two days prior to the murder.

There is a major update regarding her legal representation. Mroz is now being represented by high-profile Central Florida defense attorney Mark O’Mara. O’Mara famously led the defense for George Zimmerman in 2012.

A Former Colleague Reacts

People who knew Justine Mroz are struggling to square the accusations with the person they knew. A Facebook post from a former co-worker, shared in the segment, recalled working with Mroz eight years ago at an alternative school.

“Justine loved them no matter how hard they were to love,” the colleague wrote. The post noted Mroz became increasingly overwhelmed by the demands of raising a child with severe autism.

The former co-worker ended the post with a heavy question: “When does overwhelmed become evil I don’t have no answers only grief.”

Mroz faces a charge of second-degree murder. She isn’t out on bail. If a jury convicts her, she faces life in prison. A trial date hasn’t been set yet.

Viewers React

In the comments section, true crime viewers shared some of their opinions. One of them wrote, “I’m a mother to a severely autistic 7 year old son. It can absolutely be very difficult. Prayers for all involved.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• We can say all we want about how this mother could have handled things differently. This mother was desperate and at the end of her rope in a terribly difficult situation. She hit a wall. So tragic in every way…
• This is soo sad…my son is autistic as well i cant imagine my life without him. But i also know how it feels to have no support no help its a very lonely feeling it can also be absolutely frustrating.
• We urgently need all-ages drop-in respite care centers.

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