A teen is found not guilty in mom's death. In 2023, he was also accused of killing his dad.

USA Today

14-02-2025

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A central Florida teen has been acquitted on kidnapping and murder charges in connection to his mother's death last year. The teen was also arrested for killing his father in 2023 but was never charged.
A jury found the teenager not guilty on Feb. 5 on a first-degree murder charge and a kidnapping charge in connection to the death of his mother, the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller confirmed to USA TODAY Friday morning.
The teen's mother, 39-year-old Catherine Griffith, was killed on Sept. 8, 2024, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. The teen was 17 years old at the time and was tried as an adult, reported the Lakeland Ledger, part of the USA TODAY network.
A medical examiner ruled her cause and manner of death as homicide due to a sharp forced entry to the neck, court documents show.
According to the doctor who completed the autopsy, the victim had bruises throughout her body and the neck injury likely did not come from falling onto a sharp instrument.
"The injury is indicative of the cutting instrument being thrust into the victim's neck with force," the documents read.
But the teenager's defense team characterized his mother as a violent person who had emotional episodes and the teenager as desperate to get away from her, reported the Lakeland Ledger.
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What happened leading up to the verdict?
In the documents, a detective from the Polk County Sheriff's Office alleged that the teenager called the sheriff's office and local fire rescue about a person bleeding from the neck that day.
'(The caller) stated to the 911 dispatcher that he got into a fight with his mother and she lunged at him with a knife and then fell on the knife,' the documents read. According to the teenager, he and his mother 'fought for a long time.'
Deputies and fire rescue found his mother on the kitchen floor surrounded by a pool of blood. She was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m., court documents show.
The teen came out of the home but refused to cooperate with authorities, the court documents show.
Also noted in the court documents are messages sent from the teenager that read "If she does the whole run up on the house with a gun and she was a threat I could legally give her the old knife meets throat treatment from behind.'
Teen shot father but it was done in self-defense, court docs state
Court documents also show that on Feb. 14, 2023, the teen lived in Oklahoma and was accused of shooting his father, who died. Investigators arrested the teen but he was "not convicted due to evidence revealing it was self-defense.'
In March 2023, the teen moved to Florida with his mother, according to court documents. Officials spoke to the boy's maternal grandmother, who said that shortly after he moved in with his mother, they had issues due to him not obeying the house rules.
According to his grandmother, the pair argued over his mother taking his Xbox gaming system and cell phone. At one point, the teen pushed his mother down, his grandmother said.
On Sept. 19, 2023, the teen approached an official and said "I will kill myself or my mom" if he went home. He told the official that he would "throw them out of the car, shoot or stab them." "I've done it before, to my dad, I know I can do it again," he said.
In another incident Feb. 14, 2024 in Charlotte County, Florida, someone called police and said the teen was "refusing to go home." "He threatened to use any force necessary to not go. If he does go home he will kill his mother," the caller said.
Witnesses saw the teen and mother arguing the day she died
On Sept. 8, 2024 incident, the day his mother died, witnesses told detectives they saw the teen and his mother outside arguing, court documents show. The teen was seen "aggressively grabbing" his mother by the back of her hair and dragging her into the home.
"You're hurting me," witnesses said, quoting his mother. "Please let me go."
The witnesses then heard "an active disturbance continue" once the son and mother were inside the home, court documents show.
The teen was arrested in connection to his mother's death the next day and at least one witness did testify, reported the Lakeland Ledger.
Teen's defense team says mother was violent towards her son
Defense attorney Amy Thornhill, who represented the teen in court, said the claim that the teen dragged his mother into the house by her hair was not corroborated. She also said the teen's mother slammed her car door when she got home and was 'making a scene,' reported the Lakeland Ledger.
'She went into the house of her own accord,' Thornhill said.
She also said Ring surveillance video did not show the teen forcing his mother into the house, and claimed that previously, the woman had pulled out a gun on her son, then threatened to harm herself.
Thornhill also pointed to the teen's maternal grandfather, who told investigators his grandson previously said he would kill his mother. According to the teen's lawyer, the grandfather was not the most reliable witness, reported the Lakeland Ledger.
The teen's lawyer argued that the grandfather waited weeks to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office and give them information and he wasn't very close to his grandson.
The Office of the State Attorney in the 10th Judicial Court did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's requests for comment Friday.
The teen's lawyer also said the teen told the Department of Children and Families and police officers about his mother's behavior but his pleas were ignored.
When asked about reports against the teen's mother, the Polk County Sheriff's Office did not find any, a spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Friday. The Florida Department of Children and Families did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd sent out a quote after the not guilty verdict was issued and said he believes the teen is guilty.
"Our detectives firmly believe that (the teenager) murdered his mother,' Judd said.
'The jury determined that they could not convict him beyond and to the exclusion of all reasonable doubt. During our investigation, detectives found witnesses that believe he also murdered his father in Oklahoma. That investigation is ongoing."
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at [e-mail].