What happened to Catorreia Hutto? Investigation underway as mother and two children found dead in Sa

Publish date: 2024-06-02

Friends, family, and neighbors are grieving the loss of 31-year-old Catorreia Hutto and her five-year-old twins, who were found dead in their Florida home after their mother jumped to her death from a bridge into Lake Jesup.

Per multiple reports, on Friday, October 20, a motorist who saw a woman jump off a bridge into Lake Jesup at about 8:45 am notified authorities. Shortly after, deputies enlisted two fishermen — one of whom was an off-duty firefighter to recover the body of the woman, identified as Catorreia Hutto, floating in the water.

The discovery prompted authorities to conduct a welfare check at a home in Sanford, where police found the two 5-year-old twins, Ahmad and Ava Jackson, dead in their bunk beds. Seminole County Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma told WKMG that medical examiners have yet to determine the cause of death of the twins, whose bodies did not show any apparent signs of trauma. However, police have ruled their deaths as homicide.

"It does not appear that there is any blunt trauma. It does not appear that they are the victims of gunfire," Lemma said. "So there would have to be a method of death that the medical examiner can help us understand through toxicology reports, but again, no signs of trauma to the body.

While police suspect that the mother killed the twins with special needs, they have yet to disinter the motive behind the tragic crime.

Community mourns the death of Catorreia Hutto and her twins

In the wake of the devastating incident, a rattled community is grieving the loss of both children and their mother. Per multiple reports, Catorreia Hutto, a single mom, and her children had moved into a house from Seminole-Apopka Habitat for Humanity a year ago. It is unknown if Hutto, who worked at a temp agency, was struggling financially.

Catorreia Hutto’s mother, who revealed her daughter suffered from mental health issues, added that she had struggled with depression throughout her life. Seminole County Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma said Catorreia Hutto had tried contacting her mother, who lives in Perry, Florida, on Thursday night but was unable to reach her as the latter was in Orlando for a medical procedure.

Neighbor Gabrielle Buggs described Catorreia Hutto as an attentive mother devoted to her kids. Buggs revealed that while Hutton appeared overwhelmed at times, there was no indication that she was struggling with suicidal ideation.

"She was a very hands-on mom for as far as I could see, just a person trying to make it through life, the best way that she could," Buggs said.
Image via GoFundMe

The children were reportedly pictured wearing their uniforms for the UCP Seminole Charter School two weeks before the tragedy. The children's school, UCP Seminole Charter School, released the following statement:

"The entire UCP community is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of two of our Seminole County school's kindergarten students and feel shocked by the circumstances. We immediately made available grief counseling for classmates, teachers, and school family members."

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma said that the children’s father lives in South Florida. A GoFundMe campaign launched by the twins' father, Xavier Jackson, asked for donations to help pay for his children's funeral expenses.

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