A mother from Florida is behind bars, facing first-degree murder charges after a deadly shooting outside a daycare — a violent act witnessed by her own children and several others.
Mindy Osteen, 34, was arrested and booked into Bradford County Jail following the fatal shooting of Christopher Travis Jones, 37, the father of her two young sons, on Friday, July 25, 2025.
The incident unfolded at Auntie Lili’s Daycare, where Jones had just picked up their children. Witnesses say Osteen approached the family with a backpack, hugged the boys, and then — moments after Jones got into his car — pulled out a gun and opened fire.
She fired three shots into the vehicle. As Jones managed to get out and attempt to flee, she fired two more, hitting him again.
Despite his injuries, Jones ran back toward the daycare, screaming for help. Osteen’s gun jammed, but she cleared the malfunction and followed him inside.
She fired three more shots at close range. By the third, Jones had stopped screaming.
As he lay wounded and moaning, witnesses heard Osteen shout:
“Please, let the monster die.”
She claimed Jones had to die to protect their children. He responded weakly:
“I’m not killing nobody.”
With his last strength, Jones pushed the door closed behind her, collapsing in a pool of blood.
When deputies arrived, Jones identified Osteen as the shooter. She was found pacing outside, calmly stating:
“I’m right here, y’all. I done it in self-defense.”
Paramedics rushed Jones to a hospital, but he was pronounced dead at 7:03 p.m.
In addition to their two sons, six other children and two staff members were inside the daycare during the attack.
A GoFundMe was launched to support Jones’ two sons, Titus and Max, describing him as a devoted father whose life revolved around his boys.
“Chris’s journey was one of redemption, love, and unwavering devotion. He worked every day to be the man his children could look up to. His transformation was a testament to the power of love — and his boys were the reason behind it all.”
His sister, Melanie Russo, shared a powerful tribute on Facebook, beginning with:
“Men can be victims too.”
She revealed that Jones had been a victim of years of emotional manipulation, physical abuse, and stalking at the hands of Osteen — and that he had sought help for her mental health struggles.
“He reported it. He tried to get help. But because he was a man, his cries were unheard.”
Osteen is now charged with:
- Premeditated first-degree murder
- Two counts of aggravated child abuse
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Grand theft of a firearm
Her two sons are now without a father — and their mother is in jail.
The case has sparked national conversation about domestic violence, gender bias in abuse cases, and the devastating consequences when cries for help go unanswered.