Boy, 2, found dead in alligator’s mouth ‘was thrown in lake by dad’

Thomas Mosley (left) is accused of murdering his 2-year-old son Taylen Mosley (right) and the boy’s mother Pashun Jeffery (Picture: Pinellas County Jail/AP)

A toddler who was found in the jaws of an alligator appears to have been placed in a Florida lake by his father.

Thomas Mosley, 21, allegedly ‘did throw or place’ his 2-year-old son Taylen in a lake, which inflicted ‘mortal wounds’ and led to the boy’s death, according to a St Petersburg police affidavit.

Taylen was reported missing after his mother, Pashun Jeffery, 20, was discovered stabbed to death with several wounds in her apartment on Thursday afternoon. Taylen had gone missing.

A police officer on Friday saw an alligator with Taylen in its mouth near Dell Holmes Park. The officer fired at the gator which dropped the body. The reptile was killed. Taylen had died of his injuries.

Pashun Jeffery was found killed in her apartment (Picture: St Petersburg Police Department)

‘Taylen was a sweet and happy toddler and loved his mom,’ states a GoFundMe page for their funeral expenses.

‘During Pashun’s work breaks, she would facetime so that she could spend every moment possible with him. During the day, Taylen would grab anyone’s phone and pretend to call his mom.

‘To see them together and their love for each other was a blessing. We will remember their love and will keep them in our hearts.’

The body of Taylen Mosley was in an alligator’s mouth and a detective shot and killed the reptile (Picture: St Petersburg Police Department)

Jeffery’s family went to find her on Thursday and spotted blood on the sidewalk by her apartment. She was inside with ‘apparent cuts and stabs in excess of 100 wounds’, according to the affidavit.

‘A bloody fingerprint on a cleaning bottle which had been intentionally placed under a bed in the crime scene was identified to’ Mosley, states the affidavit. ‘A bloody shoe print with a “Gucci” emblem was located on the bathroom floor where the victim was found.’

Mosley has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His bond hearing is set for April 11.

Thomas Mosley has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder (Picture: Pinellas County Jail)

Jeffery’s great-aunt, Theo Brickhouse-Sails, said she felt something was wrong when she kept calling and they went to voicemail.

‘I would have never, in a million years, when this week started, ever thought that something like this would happen,’ Brickhouse-Sails told WFLA. ‘We were supposed to have taken Taylen Saturday.’

The GoFundMe fundraiser had garnered more than $41,600 as of Wednesday afternoon. The boy and his mother’s funeral service will take place on Saturday.

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