Deputies: Baby dead, mother in critical condition after attempted murder-suicide

OCALA, Fla. — The Marion County Sheriff's Office said a mother is in critical condition and a child is dead after an attempted murder-suicide Friday.

Investigators said Melanie Reyes, 20, posted on Facebook that she was going to kill her 6-month-old child, Jonah Mendoza.

Authorities said the grandmother and Jonah's father saw the post and called the Sheriff's Office, asking them to do a well-being check on Reyes.

“(We) received a call from a man who said his baby’s mother had posted something on Facebook in reference to shooting herself and the baby,” said Jenifer Lowe of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said when deputies arrived at the home on Northwest 45^th Court, they found Reyes and Jonah shot, but still alive.

"She shot the baby and herself.  They’re not looking for anyone else at this point.  There was no one else in the home at the time of the shooting,” Lowe said.

Jonah died a short time after being taken to a local hospital.  Reyes is in critical condition, but investigators expect her to survive.

Investigators said they recovered a handgun at the scene.

“It’s wrong,” said neighbor Heather Grant. “I don’t understand why someone resorts to something like this."

Court records show Reyes was in the middle of a paternity dispute and was arrested two weeks ago for attacking her live-in boyfriend with a baseball bat. Both cases involve different men, authorities said.

Detectives are trying to figure out if either case is related to the tragedy.

Detectives are now interviewing family members to piece together what happened before the shooting.

WFTV