Tesha Florence, a 46-year-old woman from Kansas, also known as Tesha Jenkins, is currently being held in custody after admitting to the fatal shooting of her son. Florence is facing multiple charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated burglary, according to Sedgwick County Jail records. She was taken into custody earlier this month, during which she reportedly confessed to the shooting, expressing profound regret and emotional distress.
The incident took place on the morning of October 9, when law enforcement was called to a shooting at Florence’s apartment. The affidavit reveals that Florence spent a considerable amount of time recounting the events of that fateful day, showing signs of severe emotional turmoil. She reportedly collapsed to the ground, rolled around, and even pleaded with an officer to end her life, confessing that she had unintentionally shot her son.
Florence painted a picture of her son, 16-year-old Robert Florence, as a troubled teenager involved in drug use and frequently absent from school. On the day of the incident, Robert was supposed to be in school but decided not to attend. After his two older brothers left the apartment, Florence contacted Robert’s school to report his absence.
According to Florence, Robert spent the day at home, repeatedly asking to use her phone and expressing intentions to purchase marijuana from a neighbor. Later, he asked to use the phone again to request money from their father through one of his brothers. After the call, Robert began to behave destructively, pulling down curtains and tearing up paper, actions Florence believed were meant to provoke her.
The affidavit further details that Florence was lying on her bed, texting a friend, when Robert removed a Ruger Security 9 mm handgun from a backpack. Florence seized the gun and backpack from Robert, pointed the gun at him, and asked if he wanted to die. She stated that the gun “went off” and she saw Robert fall forward, realizing then that she had shot him.
During her interview, Florence claimed she thought the gun was empty, although she remembered possibly loading two rounds into it two weeks before the incident. She denied intending to shoot Robert, but admitted she may have intended to scare him by discharging the gun. She confirmed that Robert made no threats when holding the gun and never pointed it at her.
Robert was shot in the forehead and succumbed to his injuries two days later, on October 11. In a separate part of the charging document, Florence is also accused of forcing her way into her ex-husband’s residence in March, where she allegedly pointed her gun at him and his 22-year-old girlfriend. This incident came to light during the investigation of the fatal shooting. Florence is currently being held on a $1.2 million bond.