A 41-year-old Florida mother, Rhonda Paulynice, has been accused of killing her six-year-old son in a twisted ritual. According to the police, Paulynice said that he was trying to “exorcise demons out of” her son’s body.
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According to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office (SLCSO), deputies performed a welfare check at a Bedford Drive residence on May 30. Reportedly, the six-year-old boy, later identified as Ra’myl Pierre, had not attended school since May 14.
Upon arrival, deputies were met by Paulynice, who then directed them inside and into a bedroom. Upon entering, deputies found Ra’myl lying on his bed. He was dead. At the time, the death was being investigated as suspicious.
However, during a press conference, St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro, deputies allegedly heard troubling and disturbing statements made by Paulynice. Allegedly, the woman believed that “God” was telling her to perform an exorcism on her own son.
“What we did learn in speaking with the mother is she believes she was being told by God to basically exorcise demons out of the child’s body,” Del Toro said.
Details of what the “exorcism” entailed have not been revealed, with an autopsy pending. However, Del Toro added that, eventually, Ra’myl stopped moving during the twisted ritual. At that moment, Paulynice allegedly believed she had managed to expel the demons from her son. She waited for Ra’myl to come back. He never did.
12 Days
According to Sheriff Del Toro, it is believed that Ra’myl died on May 18. While the exact date of his death is to be determined by an autopsy, if proven true, it means that Ra’myl’s body was left 12 days in the house.
Disturbingly, Paulynice posted various religious and uplifting quotes on her Facebook page on the day when Ra’myl is believed to have died.
“Pray, Bow, Center yourself, be one with our Father, Repent,” Paulynice posted. “Confess our Father is your Lord and Savior. And don’t Fear, or nor any doubts. This is the way, walk in it.”
Paulynice continued to post on Facebook until May 29, one day before Ra’myl’s body was found by SLCSO deputies.
Rhonda Paulynice was charged with second-degree murder, failure to report a death, and wilfully touching or moving the body, clothing, or any article upon or near the body, as per jail records reviewed by PEOPLE. She is being held on a $150,000 bond.
Moved by the horrifying scene, Sheriff Del Toro gave his condolences to Ra’myl’s family.
“Being a parent, being out on a scene like that, seeing a 6-year-old child that was killed for no other reason other than just someone being purely evil, it’s hard,” Del Toro said. “From what I understand, this kid just lit the room up, and was loved by everybody.”