CASE FILE: Florida Mom Admits She ‘Snapped’ and Strangled Son:

CASE FILE: THE ELLIOT MAROSE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION

Florida Mom Admits She “Snapped” and Strangled Her Son: The Death of Six-Year-Old Elliot Marose

Child Homicide Investigation Report
Narrative by Detective Brian Coldwel

PROLOGUE – THE MOTHER WHO CALLED 911 AFTER A TRAGEDY INSIDE HER HOME

Some criminal investigations begin with a confession.

Others begin with a mystery.

But in this case, the first words investigators heard came directly from the person accused of causing the tragedy.

On a weekday morning in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, deputies were dispatched to a home after receiving a disturbing 911 call from a mother.

The caller was Justine Marose.

She was a teacher.

A mother.

A woman who had spent years caring for children, including students with special needs.

But on that morning, she allegedly told emergency dispatchers something no parent should ever have to say:

She had killed her own son.

The victim was six-year-old Elliot Marose, a child on the autism spectrum who faced significant developmental challenges.

According to investigators, Justine told dispatchers that Elliot had been struggling, had been harming himself, and that she tried to stop him.

She then allegedly admitted that she grabbed him by the neck and “snapped.”

The case quickly raised difficult questions.

Was this a tragic moment caused by overwhelming stress and mental health struggles?

Or was it an act of violence against a vulnerable child who depended on his mother for protection?

As investigators examined the evidence, they uncovered a heartbreaking story involving autism, parental exhaustion, mental health concerns, and a mother now accused of taking the life of the child she was supposed to protect.

CHAPTER 1 – WHO WAS ELLIOT MAROSE?

Before becoming the center of a homicide investigation, Elliot Marose was a six-year-old boy known to his family as a child with unique challenges and needs.

According to investigators and family information, Elliot was on the autism spectrum.

His condition affected his daily life.

He reportedly struggled with:

Communication
Emotional regulation
Self-control
Developmental milestones

His father later explained that Elliot was not yet fully potty trained and required significant care.

Like many children with autism, Elliot sometimes experienced overwhelming moments where he struggled to express himself.

Those moments required patience, understanding, and support from the adults around him.

CHAPTER 2 – JUSTINE MAROSE: TEACHER, MOTHER, AND CAREGIVER

Justine Marose was not known publicly as someone violent.

Before the tragedy, she was described as:

A teacher
A caregiver
Someone who worked with children who had behavioral challenges

A former coworker later described Justine as someone who cared deeply about difficult-to-teach students.

According to that coworker, she had worked with children who had been removed from other educational programs.

He described her as someone who loved children others found difficult to handle.

Years later, she became a mother to Elliot.

But caring for a child with severe autism created challenges that many families experience privately.

CHAPTER 3 – THE CUSTODY ARRANGEMENT

Elliot’s parents shared custody.

According to his father’s statement to investigators, the arrangement was:

Shared custody
Regular exchanges between parents
Both parents involved in decision-making

The father told deputies that he had recently spent time with Elliot and believed everything was normal.

He said that when Justine picked Elliot up, there was no indication that anything unusual was happening.

That detail became one of the most painful parts of the investigation.

Because from his perspective, he believed he was handing his son back to his mother for an ordinary custody exchange.

CHAPTER 4 – THE MORNING 911 CALL

The emergency call came from Justine’s home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida.

The dispatcher answered.

Justine provided her name.

Then the conversation quickly became alarming.

She said:

“My son and I’m trying to kill myself.”

The dispatcher attempted to understand what had happened.

When asked what happened to Elliot, Justine allegedly admitted:

She killed him.

The dispatcher then asked how.

Justine reportedly answered:

“With my hands.”

CHAPTER 5 – THE DEPUTIES ARRIVE

While Justine remained on the phone, deputies rushed to the residence.

They approached carefully.

The situation was considered potentially dangerous.

When officers arrived, parts of the body camera footage were redacted.

However, investigators confirmed they made contact with Justine inside the home.

She reportedly remained calm.

She directed officers to her location.

CHAPTER 6 – THE ALLEGED CONFESSION

During the 911 call, Justine explained what she claimed happened.

According to court documents, she said Elliot had been attempting to harm himself by hitting his head against the floor.

She told dispatchers she tried to stop him.

She allegedly said she placed her hand between his head and the floor to prevent injury.

Then, according to investigators, she claimed Elliot began hitting and biting her.

The complaint states that Justine responded by grabbing Elliot by the neck.

She allegedly admitted:

She grabbed him
She choked him forcefully
She continued after realizing what was happening

Investigators stated that she said she “snapped.”

CHAPTER 7 – THE MEDICAL FINDINGS

Elliot was found unresponsive.

Emergency responders attempted to save him.

He was transported for medical care.

However, he was later pronounced dead.

According to court documents, medical findings included:

Hemorrhaging in both eyes
Marks on the left side of his neck

The injuries supported the allegation that strangulation occurred.

CHAPTER 8 – THE QUESTION OF CPR

During the 911 call, the dispatcher asked about Elliot’s condition.

Justine stated she believed he was dead because:

He was not moving
He was not breathing

The dispatcher asked whether CPR could help.

Justine reportedly expressed uncertainty.

Investigators later noted that she did not attempt CPR.

This became another point examined in the case.

CHAPTER 9 – JUSTINE’S OWN SELF-HARM

The 911 call also revealed another disturbing detail.

Justine told dispatchers she was trying to harm herself.

When deputies arrived, they discovered she had serious injuries to both wrists.

Emergency responders treated her before she was later taken into custody.

Investigators viewed her actions as part of the broader mental health circumstances surrounding the case.

CHAPTER 10 – THE FATHER’S REACTION

One of the most emotional parts of the investigation was informing Elliot’s father.

Deputies had to explain what happened.

The father told investigators that he had just spent time with Elliot.

He described their custody exchange as normal.

He said he had no indication that Justine was experiencing a crisis.

Investigators asked about Justine’s mental health history.

The father stated:

She had taken antidepressants at different times
He was unaware of any major diagnosis

CHAPTER 11 – ELLIOT’S AUTISM AND HIS CHALLENGES

Investigators spent time understanding Elliot’s behavior and needs.

His father explained that Elliot sometimes had severe emotional reactions.

He described behaviors such as:

Hitting his head
Difficulty communicating
Difficulty regulating emotions

These details became important because Justine’s alleged explanation involved attempting to stop Elliot from harming himself.

The central question became:

Did a caregiver respond to a difficult situation with a tragic mistake?

Or did she commit an intentional act of violence?

CHAPTER 12 – THE MENTAL HEALTH QUESTION

The case raised difficult questions about mental health.

According to the investigation:

Justine expressed suicidal thoughts
She attempted to harm herself
She described feeling overwhelmed

A former coworker later questioned how someone who appeared to care deeply for children could allegedly reach this point.

He wrote:

“When does overwhelmed become evil?”

That question reflects one of the hardest parts of the case.

Understanding a person’s mental state does not erase responsibility.

But it may become an important factor in understanding what happened.

CHAPTER 13 – THE ARREST AND CHARGES

Justine Marose was arrested.

She faces a charge of:

Second-degree murder

Prosecutors allege she caused Elliot’s death by strangulation.

She is being held without bond.

The case remains active.

CHAPTER 14 – THE DEFENSE AHEAD

Justine later obtained a high-profile criminal defense attorney.

Her attorney, Marco Meza, is known for representing George Zimmerman during the Trayvon Martin case.

The defense will likely examine:

Mental health factors
The circumstances before Elliot’s death
The question of intent

The central legal issue will be whether prosecutors can prove the required elements of second-degree murder.

CHAPTER 15 – THE COMMUNITY REACTION

The case shocked the local community.

Neighbors described disbelief.

Many people who knew Justine struggled to understand the allegations.

The tragedy was especially painful because Elliot was a vulnerable child.

A child who relied on adults for protection.

FINAL NOTE – DETECTIVE BRIAN COLDWEL

The Elliot Marose case is one of the most difficult types of investigations.

A child died.

The person accused is the person who was supposed to protect him.

The case raises complicated questions about:

Parenting stress
Autism caregiving challenges
Mental health struggles
Personal responsibility

But one fact remains unchanged:

Elliot Marose was six years old.

He depended on others for safety.

He depended on adults to help him through moments he could not control himself.

The legal process will determine what happened inside that home.

But Elliot’s life should not be remembered only through the circumstances of his death.

He was a child.

A son.

A person whose life mattered.

CASE STATUS: ACTIVE – HOMICIDE PROSECUTION
DEFENDANT: JUSTINE MAROSE
VICTIM: ELLIOT MAROSE, AGE 6
KEY EVIDENCE: 911 CALL / BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE / MEDICAL FINDINGS / CUSTODY HISTORY