The family of a man who was shot and killed at a local daycare is speaking out.
Melanie Russo said her brother Christopher Jones was picking his kids up from Auntie Lili’s Child Care Center on Friday when he was killed by the mother of his children, 34-year-old Mindy Osteen.
“I am beyond devastated and heartbroken,” said Russo.
Deputies said that after Jones got done loading up his car and their sons, he sat in the driver’s seat. That’s when Osteen walked up and shot him multiple times. After he was shot, deputies said he ran into the entryway of the daycare, where he was shot two more times.
“This is still not real,” said Russo. “I keep thinking this was all a nightmare.”
According to Osteen’s arrest report, Osteen is heard saying, “You got to die, Chris.”
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Officials said both parents had a history of domestic violence. A search through jail records shows Osteen having been arrested several times since 2013 on charges including battery, fraud, drug possession, and producing meth.
“A lot of domestic abuse on his end as far as verbal, physical, mental, emotional everything,” said Russo. “She had a lot of mental instability.”
Russo said he went to law enforcement to try and get help for Osteen.
“Nobody took it serious, and that’s devastating because of how it ended,” said Russo.
Russo said Jones and Osteen separated at least 6-to-8 months before the shooting took place. Still, Russo said the abuse did not end.
“She continued to stalk, harass, and threaten him—sending disturbing messages, showing up uninvited, and even attacking him during custody exchanges,’ wrote Russo on social media. “Every incident was reported. Authorities were notified. Nothing was done.”
As she honors her brother, she wants others to know this:
“Men can be victims of domestic violence too,” said Russo. “You see people stand up every day for women and thank god for that and absolutely stand up for women, but why are we not standing up for men too?”
According to the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men experienced intimate partner violence in 2022-2023.
If you would like to help the family, you can visit their GoFundMe.
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