Florida teen being arrested for allegedly trying to poison his adoptive mother’s milk with bleach (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office).
A 17-year-old in Florida has been arrested for allegedly attempting to kill his 77-year-old adoptive mother by poisoning her milk with bleach, telling authorities that he was “angry” with the woman and did not want to live with her any longer.
The teen, who Law&Crime has chosen not to publicly identify, was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of poisoning food or water, and one count of aggravated abuse of an elderly person, authorities said.
The defendant’s adoptive mother appears in body camera footage posted online by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. In the footage, which is blurred to protect her identity, deputies can be seen questioning her about the incident in front of her home.
“Do you recall what happened this morning — something with milk?” one of the deputies can be heard asking.
“Yes, the milk. He put the Clorox in the milk,” she said, adding, “I couldn’t drink the milk.”
The victim explained that she poured the milk from its container into a glass, claiming it had been tainted with the bleach while still in its primary container. She went on to say that she drank some of the milk, but “just a little bit,” because she “tasted it,” referring to the bleach.
The footage then cuts to an officer bringing the handcuffed suspect out of the house through the front door, telling the other officer that he was “hiding” in one of the bedrooms with a dog.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Orlando Fox affiliate WOFL, the call took place on South Brickell Drive in Deltona on Saturday morning after the 77-year-old victim poured a glass of milk from her refrigerator and said it had an “intense chemical taste.” She told investigators that “due to their recent conflicts,” she quickly suspected that her adopted son had attempted to poison her.
Deputies confirmed that the milk had a strong bleach-like odor.
The victim’s other son told investigators that the victim was the only person in the household who drank milk, meaning that she was likely the intended target. The other son also mentioned that his mother had been “feuding” with the suspect, per the Miami Herald.
During a subsequent search of the residence, deputies reportedly recovered a bottle of Clorox bleach from the laundry room.
“The bottle was positioned in a dusty area with a clear outline, indicating it had been moved recently,” the affidavit states.
After being transported to the police station, the suspect reportedly admitted to trying to poison the victim.
“He stated he was angry at [his adoptive mom] and no longer wished to live in the home,” deputies wrote in the affidavit.
The victim was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and released.
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