SANFORD, FL – A tragic incident unfolded in Sanford, Florida, on Friday morning when a mother of two apparently took her own life by jumping from the SR-417 bridge into Lake Jesup. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office reported that the woman’s twin children, both 5 years old and with disabilities, were later found deceased in their home.
The incident began when a motorist reported seeing a woman park her car on the side of the SR-417 bridge, exit her vehicle, and leap into the St. Johns River. Authorities were able to recover the body of the woman, identified as 31-year-old Catorreia Hutto.
Following the discovery, a welfare check was conducted at Hutto’s residence, a house built under the Habitat for Humanity program. Upon arrival, deputies found Hutto’s twins, Ahmed and Ava Jackson, in their beds. Initially, they appeared to be sleeping, but were later confirmed to be deceased.
Sheriff Dennis Lemma described the situation as a likely suicide-homicide case. “The mother jumps off the bridge, committing what’s now confirmed as a suicide, and it appears to be a homicide contained within this house,” Lemma stated.
Neighbors expressed shock and sorrow at the tragic events. Eddie Gray, a local resident, lamented the lack of intervention. Officials noted signs of financial struggle in the family, citing the scarcity of food found in the home. Latoshia Reynolds, another neighbor, expressed her heartbreak over the incident. “As the mother of a 15-year-old, it is really hard. For her to be that distraught, apparently she had no one she felt she could reach out to, it’s just really devastating and shows the state of the world that we’re in right now,” Reynolds said.
Authorities reported no obvious signs of trauma on the children and stated that Hutto had no prior history at the home or other locations.