U.S. News

Woman Tries to Hire Hitman to Kill 3-Year-Old Son - Used a Parody Website

By Belal Awad · July 24, 2023

An 18-year-old Florida mother is facing charges of solicitation of murder and unlawful use of a communications device after allegedly attempting to hire a hitman to kill her own three-year-old son. According to investigators, the young unnamed mother had visited a parody “hit-for-hire” website, unaware that it was being monitored by law enforcement. She requested that her son be “taken away - far, far, far away - and possibly killed, but ASAP.”

Former federal prosecutor Naema Rahmani expressed surprise at the audacity of the suspect, telling Fox LiveNow, “It’s surprising that someone would actually be so dumb to go on a website and actually solicit a crime, much less the murder of their own son.”

The evidence against the suspect appears compelling, with her digital footprint serving as a crucial identifier. Rahmani noted the significance of digital evidence in modern criminal investigations and the apprehension of suspects.

The case has raised concerns about the use of parody websites in law enforcement operations. “It’s not common… Normally, criminals aren’t this dumb to go on a website and hire a hitman,” said Rahmani. He attributed the success of such tactics to the suspect’s desperation and vulnerability. As the investigation progresses, the accused’s motive remains unclear, he explained. The child involved will likely be placed in alternative care arrangements. According to Rahmani, “When you do something like this, your child is going to be taken away from you.”

Rahmani, who believes the suspect is likely to face a substantial prison sentence, drew comparisons to the infamous Casey Anthony case, saying the evidence against the young woman appears to be strong, and that she will likely plead guilty: “This is not the type of case that a criminal defense attorney or a public defender in this case can really defend on the merits.”

Despite being legally an adult, the accused’s age might factor into the court’s decisions. Rahmani commented, “She is an adult, so she’s going to be treated like one. But that being said, I’m assuming that she has little to no criminal history, probably no history of violence. So that’s going to inure to her benefit. If she does plead and accepts responsibility, maybe a judge may give her some sort of leniency.”

The suspect was released on a $15,000 bond. Rahmani explained that judges consider factors such as the risk of flight and danger to the community when determining whether to grant bail. In this case, the suspect’s ties to the community and lack of criminal history likely influenced the judge’s decision.