A woman who at first told the police that her nine-year-old son with autism was kidnapped in Florida admitted while being interrogated that she led the child into a canal where he was later found lifeless. This was stated in an arrest affidavit

According to the officials, at first, 45-year-old Patricia Ripley told the Miami-Dade Police, two men side-swiped the car she was driving while she was with her son, Alejandro Ripley Thursday night at around 9 p.m.

In a statement she gave the authorities during the interrogation, she said the men were demanding drugs and took her son who, authorities said, is nonverbal and has autism.

Merely Allegations and Not Evidence

Contradicting statements from witnesses and video footage later found, then, the mother admitted to the death of her son.

In the said affidavit, the Miami-Dade County Police also said, the woman stated that her son "is going to be in a better place."

Also according to the affidavit, Ripley was arrested and indicted with "first-degree premeditated attempted murder and first-degree murder."

Meanwhile, in an interview, Nelson Rodriguez Varela, the defense attorney said, at this point, arrest affidavit's content "are merely allegations and not evidence" of the mother's guilt.

Whatever conclusions come out regarding case, he added, is totally untimely. Their position, the defense attorney continued, is that, Ripley is a mother and a good woman who looked after Alejandro's best interest.

This is not the time either, the lawyer said, to hurry into judgment in this case, and, at a very initial stage, this mother of the child with autism "is presumed innocent" just like any individual indicted with a crime would be.

Video Footage Showing How the Boy was led into a Canal

As earlier reports mentioned, Ripley at first, told police, one of the two men who side-swiped her car had a knife, got out of the vehicle, and demanded drugs.

As stated in the affidavit, when Ripley did not give the man drugs, he opened her car's door and took her mobile phone and tablet, then, abducted her son

Hours later, according to Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Alejandro's body was found. The boy was reportedly wearing a Captain America T-Shirt when his lifeless body was found.

Once brought to the missing person's office, according to police, Ripley started to give them conflicting testimonials about what happened.

She was then, brought to the homicide bureau, and there, she was read her Miranda rights. The statements, according to the police and indicated in the affidavit, opposed the witnesses' statements, as well as the video footage gotten from the area.

In addition, the affidavit said, once confronted with the information, Ripley retracted her first story which included her being robbed.

Shown in the video footage is Ripley, at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, pushing her son into a canal. Screaming was heard by nearby residents who also found the nine-year-old canal. Fernandez Rundle said, these residents rescued the child at that time.

An hour later, the affidavit stated, again, Ripley took her son to a different canal where the latter drowned. She was the apprehended and booked on Saturday, in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, the Miami-Dade County Corrections records showed.

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