Death woman in bathtub. Crime scene investigation. Focus on barricade tape.
What started as a school absence turned into a heartbreaking discovery no one saw coming. A missing child, a welfare check, and a mothers disturbing confession have now left an entire Florida community in shockwondering how something so dark could happen behind closed doors. Authorities in Fort Pierce, Florida, discovered 6-year-old RaMyl “Poppie” Pierre dead in his bedroom during a welfare check last Friday.
Pierre had been absent from school since May 14, says reports. When deputies arrived at the home, his mother, Rhonda Joyce Paulynice, allegedly led them straight to the boys lifeless body. According to investigators, Paulynice told detectives her son died while she was attempting to “exorcise demons” from his body, claiming she believed she was acting on instructions from God.
“In speaking with the mother, she believed she was being told by God to basically exorcise demons out of the child’s body,” the sheriff’s office said during a press briefing on Friday. “When the child had stopped moving and basically passed away, at that point, she felt the child had been released of those demons and was waiting for him to basically come back at that time.”
Officials say the homicide likely occurred on May 18the last day Paulynice admitted to speaking to RaMyl Pierre. During her interview, she reportedly cycled between laughing and crying. She was charged with second-degree murder, failure to report a death, and unlawfully moving a body. The autopsy has been completed, but the medical examiners office is withholding results due to the ongoing investigation. The mother has been denied bond, and her public defender has not commented.
According to reports, Paulynice and her son were the only ones living in the home. Authorities had previously visited the residence for domestic and medical issues, including the day before the tragedy.
Paulynice’s daughter and Remyls sister,Ramoura Bartelus, echoed the heartbreak. Im so sorry, Poppie, Bartelus said through tears. Please know we love you beyond all measures. As the family copes with an unimaginable loss, theyre now planning his funeral, monitoring the court case, and have launched a GoFundMe to help cover burial costs.
Additionally,the St. Lucie Countyschool district announced it will offer grief counseling and support services to employees and students. In a statement, thedistrict said, “Our hearts are with the student’s family, friends, classmates, and all who loved and cared for him during this incredibly difficult time.”
