“I Was Trying to Cast Out Demons.” Police Investigate After 6-Year-Old Boy Is Found Dead in Her Bedroom

A Florida woman charged with the death of her 6-year-old son allegedly told police she was trying to “exorcise demons out of” his body.

A deputy responded to the Fort Pierce, Fla., home of Rhonda Paulynice and her son, Ra’myl Pierre, at around 10:00 a.m. local time on Friday, May 30, to conduct a welfare check, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said. The 6-year-old, a student at Samuel Gaines Academy, had not attended class in more than two weeks, and a school resource deputy was concerned.

Upon arrival, Paulynice, 41, was in the driveway. She proceeded to escort the deputy into the home, where the child was “discovered deceased, lying on his bed,” Sheriff Richard Del Toro said in a press conference.

Investigators believe the child died on May 18, but an autopsy will provide more information, Del Toro said. Due to the amount of time his body was left on the bed, medical examiners could not determine the manner of death at the scene.

May 18 was also the last day that Paulynice spoke to her son, detectives learned.

According to Del Toro, Paulynice — who is the main suspect in the investigation — told detectives that she had attempted an exorcism on the 6-year-old, the exact details of which are not known.

“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,” the sheriff told reporters. “And when the child had stopped moving and basically passed away, at that point she felt that the child had been released from those demons, and was waiting for him to basically come back, at that time.”

Del Toro also said that the 41-year-old mother exhibited “a lot of highs and lows during the investigation, from laughing at different times at the scene to crying.”

Paulynice was arrested and booked into jail on May 30. She was charged with second-degree murder, as well as failure to report a death and willfully touching or moving the body, clothing or any article upon or near the body, according to jail records. She is currently being held on a $150,000 bond.

Prior to the discovery of the child’s body, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Fort Pierce residence before for “domestic issues” involving Paulynice and her sister, Del Toro said, but none involving the mother and son.

Most recently, officials reported to the home on May 17 due to a “medical issue” of Paulynice’s, the sheriff added.

The following day, which is when detectives believe she killed her son, Paulynice shared an inspirational religious post on social media. She shared several similar posts in the days that followed, the most recent on May 29.

Her final post featuring a photo of Pierre was dated Dec. 8, 2024.

While expressing condolences for Pierre’s family, classmates and teachers, Del Toro offered some insight into what the 6-year-old was like prior to his tragic death.

“From what I understand, this kid just lit the room up, and was loved by everybody,” he said.