Deputies: Fla. mom killed 4 kids, then herself
Photo by: Roberto Gonzalez
Copyright Getty Images
Posted: 05/16/2012
PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. (AP) - In the middle of the night in Florida, Tonya Thomas' neighbors awoke to the sound of a gunshot and moments later heard a knock on their door.
Three of Thomas' four children were outside, including one who appeared to have been shot. Before the neighbors could offer help, Thomas came out and called the children back home.
They complied. The neighbors dialed 911 after hearing more gunshots.
Brevard County Sheriff's deputies found Thomas dead of an apparent self-inflicted wound and three of her children — 15-year-old Jaxs Johnson, 13-year-old Jazzlyn Johnson and 12-year-old Joel Johnson — were fatally shot in the house. A fourth child, 17-year-old Pebbles Johnson, was found shot to death in the yard of a neighbor's house.
Investigators said they didn't know a motive for the shooting.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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