Florida toddler found in an alligator’s mouth was drowned by his father, police said

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida toddler whose body was found last month in the jaws of an alligator was drowned, according to police.

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The Pinellas County medical examiner determined that Taylen Mosley, 2, died from drowning last month, St. Petersburg police said.

The boy’s father, 21-year-old Thomas Mosley, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Taylen and his mother, 20-year-old Pashun Jeffrey, according to the affidavit from the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Mosley allegedly “did throw or place” his 2-year-old son into a lake, inflicting “mortal wounds” that caused the child’s death, according to the arrest report.

The boy was the focus of a search by law enforcement after his mother was found murdered in their home. Pashun Jeffrey had more than 100 stab wounds, according to police. The 2-year-old was not found at the scene.

According to police, Jeffrey had thrown a birthday party for Mosley, who had just turned 21, WFLA reported.

At first, police said the boy was not with his father, but according to the affidavit, Mosley left Jeffrey’s home after she was killed and traveled to the Lake Maggiore area, where he threw his son into the body of water and then went on to his mother’s home.

Lake Maggiore is south of St. Petersburg near Dell Holmes Park.

Taylen’s body was spotted in an alligator’s mouth, and police were called, WTVT reported. Police shot the alligator and retrieved Taylen’s body.

Mosley showed up with “severe lacerations to both of his hands and arms consistent with injuries caused by slippage during a knife attack” and was admitted to a hospital, according to an affidavit.

Mosley was booked in the Pinellas County Jail, according to the sheriff’s website.