The Florida child's mom was shot and killed as the elementary school student was online in first day of Zoom class.
A Florida mother was shot and killed as her 10-year-old daughter was live online during her first day of Zoom class, authorities said. The girl's teacher was able to hit the mute button as screams and cursing could be heard over the video call, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told reporters this week.
"The teacher said she heard and saw a commotion, heard profanity, and realized there was some sort of domestic altercation," he said. "Then (the teacher) sees the 10-year-old put her hands up to her ears," the sheriff said.
Shots were fired and one of the bullets struck the child's computer and caused its screen to go blank, he said.
Deputies arrested Donald Williams, 27, on a charge of murder for the killing of 32-year-old Maribel Rosado Morales, the girl's mom. Williams is an ex-boyfriend and the couple had a history of domestic violence calls, Snyder said.
"It's a sad case. It's a terrible case," Snyder said. "He went in and confronted her with something to do with a video. Then later we learned there was a conversation about Facebook. And he says she actually started to smile at him and he became enraged and shot her."
There were six children inside the home when Williams arrived at about 8 a.m., Snyder said. None were injured. The mother was shot several times and died at a nearby hospital, he said.
Williams confessed to the shooting, Snyder said. "We think most of the children in the home saw it," he said of the attack.
"I've learned through decades of doing this that when you think you've seen everything, you haven't," Snyder said. "I know that people hearing about this, reading about this, are going to be horrified by this."
Because of the coronavirus, students around the country have been using Zoom for classroom instruction.
Williams is being held without bail on charges including first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to online records.
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