An Ohio mother whose teen daughter killed herself has been charged after allegedly threatening the girl's former boyfriend, authorities said.
An Ohio mother struggling with the suicide of her 15-year-old daughter has been arrested for allegedly threatening the girl's former boyfriend, authorities said.
Julie Mastin, 36, was charged this week with aggravated menacing, burglary and aggravated burglary after police said she allegedly broke into the 16-year-old boy's home and pointed what turned out to be a fake gun at him.
Mastin allegedly cornered the teen in his garage, pulled a toy weapon from her waistband and said, "You're next," according to police. The boy dropped to the floor, fearing for his life, court records said.
"I'm definitely traumatized from that," the teen, Isaija Bell, told WLWT-TV. "It definitely could have been the end of my life that night."
The teen said he later began recording with his cellphone as he and his family tried to get Mastin to leave.
Tanja Bell, the teen's mother, said she sympathizes with Mastin's loss, but her son needs protection.
"I feel for her grieving, but it can't be in a way where my son has a gun in his face," Tanja Bell told the station. "I do want her to leave my child alone."
Mastin has been struggling with the death of her daughter, Caylee, who killed herself in March, and believes the boy contributed in some way to the 15-year-old's decision to take her own life, police said.
In court Wednesday, the prosecutor told the court that the state understands the sensitivity of the case.
“The behavior here is, it's genuinely scary for the defendant and everyone involved. We understand, we get that it’s a tragedy for this woman here," he said.
"She has no prior record and I want to be clear on the record, I don’t want to demonize her in any way. I know a tragedy happened here, but at the same time judge, we all have a responsibility that nothing worse happens,” the prosecutor said.
Mastin was released on bail Wednesday and ordered to have no contact with the Bell family and to wear a GPS monitoring device, according to court records.
She has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor count of menacing, court records said. No pleas had been entered into court records as of Friday on the felony counts of burglary and aggravated burglary.
Her next scheduled court appearance is Wednesday.
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