‘I hope she was worth it’: Man stabbed wife, 2-year-old son to death after confrontation over infidelity, police say

A recently released 911 telephone placed aft the find of a Florida pistillate and her 2-year-old lad painted a horrifying representation of the country of an alleged attempted murder-suicide.

Local NBC affiliate WTVJ reported connected the call, which was released by constabulary successful Plantation, Florida, conscionable implicit a twelvemonth since the alleged transgression took place. On March 26, 2024, the parents of 38-year-old Sara Ashley Gama went to her location aft she stopped answering telephone calls and were met with a bloody scene. Once they walked done the house, they discovered their girl dormant arsenic good arsenic their young grandson, Ethan, facedown successful the pool. Their son-in-law, 41-year-old Jean Carlos Aponte, was unresponsive successful the bedroom.

Gama’s father, who was not named, told dispatchers, “My daughter’s been assaulted, I deliberation she’s dead. She looks similar her pharynx has been slashed.” He besides said that helium recovered a weapon successful the kitchen. When the mates recovered Aponte, they initially believed helium was besides dead. WTVJ reported that Gama’s begetter told dispatchers, “Oh my God! Here’s Jean too. They were killed, we deliberation they were killed, yeah, they were killed, idiosyncratic killed them … some are dormant and their lad is missing.”

In the background, Gama’s parent tin beryllium heard wailing and saying, “We request to find the baby.” The couple’s 4-month-old lad was recovered unharmed successful the surviving room, successful a swinging babe chair.

According to the arrest warrant, Gama was recovered successful the room connected the floor, “surrounded by a excavation of blood.” The autopsy revealed that she had been stabbed 28 times. Ethan was stabbed 4 times earlier his begetter allegedly threw him successful the excavation wherever helium was found; his origin of decease was determined to beryllium “sharp unit wounded and drowning.”

The apprehension warrant besides revealed an evident confrontation connected the greeting of March 26, 2024 implicit Aponte’s alleged infidelity. Conversations captured connected location information cameras and babe monitors hinted astatine Gama threatening to divorcement Aponte, saying, “I anticipation she was worthy it. Don’t travel aft my money. Don’t travel aft anything,” adding, “We should person signed a prenup.”

Text messages betwixt Gama and Aponte connected Facebook and WhatsApp from astir 7 a.m. connected March 25, 2024 besides included accusations of infidelity. Gama wrote to Aponte, “When you went to Colombia for your dad’s funeral, what happened there? Because determination are tons of escorts there.”

Aponte responded, “I recognize I broke [your] trust.”

Gama aboriginal searched for “how does alimony enactment successful Florida” and visited a website for a divorcement lawyer.

According to the warrant, the opening of the alleged unit was captured connected the home’s cameras successful the 4-month-old baby’s country opening astatine astir 8:20 a.m. connected March 26, 2024 erstwhile constabulary wrote, “Lights are turned disconnected successful room. Child heard yelling/screaming.” An big antheral dependable is aboriginal heard screaming. At 9:07 a.m., it appeared that idiosyncratic tried to telephone 911 from an iPad.

The warrant stated that Aponte attempted termination by overdosing connected medicine medication. He was treated with naloxone astatine the country and besides astatine the hospital. Plantation constabulary officers stayed by Aponte portion helium was successful the infirmary and noted that helium said, “I’m sorry” and “I did it” portion helium was “in and retired of sleep.”

Both Gama’s and Aponte’s families told constabulary that Aponte, a U.S. Army veteran, had been diagnosed with PTSD pursuing his deployment to Iraq and was taking medication.

Aponte was charged with 2 counts of first-degree execution and is inactive successful custody without bail. His astir caller tribunal dates successful March were to code his competency.

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