Two Young Florida Sheriffs Commit Suicide, Orphaning Their One-Month Old Baby
The new year has already started with a tragic story out of Florida.
Two young Florida sheriffs have orphaned their one-month old infant after they committed suicide.
It started on New Year’s Eve when 24-year-old Clayton Osteen, a deputy for the St. Lucie County, FL Sheriff’s Department attempted suicide for unknown reasons.
He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
His girlfriend, 23-year-old Victoria Pacheco, who also worked for the St. Lucie County, FL Sheriff’s Department, was so distraught over her boyfriend’s suicide, that she killed herself.
Sheriff Mascara of the St. Lucie County, FL Sheriff’s Department issued this statement:
“Words cannot express the tremendous loss we all feel after losing these two members of our sheriff’s office family. As sheriff, I saw these two deputies as young, ambitious, and a great compliment to my already amazing group of professionals. To the general public, and sometimes even myself, it’s easy to view law enforcement as superhuman…but let’s not forget that they’re human just like us.
We pray that this tragedy becomes a catalyst for change, a catalyst to help ease the stigma surrounding mental well-being and normalize the conversation about the challenges so many of us face on a regular basis.”
A Gofundme has been started for the one-month-old infant:
“Baby Jayce Osteen was born November 22, 2021 to Deputies Clayton Osteen and Victoria Pacheco of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Clayton and Victoria were joy-filled, first-time parents excited about their growing family, enamored with their baby Jayce, and so in love with each other. Tragically, for reasons completely unknown and totally out of character, Clayton took his own life December 31st, 2021. Reeling from the shock of loss, Victoria took her own life two days later.”
“The grief is deep and painful. Parents shouldn’t have to bury their children,” Ridle wrote on Facebook. “Brothers and best friends should be called upon for support. Babies should grow up surrounded by the love of their parents. But know my friends, despite this horrendous situation, I’ve witnessed more grace, love, compassion, answered prayers, and even what feels like a few miracles this week than I could imagine even existed among those left behind. We are forever bonded to one another and Jayce.”
The infant is currently being cared for by Osteen’s brother who also a St. Lucie Sheriff’s Department deputy; the department is seeking to raise money and is accepting essential items like diapers, baby wipes, gift cards to baby and food stores.