Mom was struggling with depression when she stabbed, drowned son: ‘He was her life’

4years ago

Philadelphia news, Pennsylvania news.

The grieving father of the 5-year-old boy who has been stabbed and drowned at the hands of his mom said that she told him “the boy was good now out of his misery.”

Donald Joseph described how Devon’s little body floated face down in the bath last Monday night when he arrived home from work.

40-year-old Jennifer Joseph seemed normal with stab wounds in her wrist, apparently the result of attempted suicide.

“This is so hard for me; Devon loved his mom and she loved him; if I had any idea about that obviously I wouldn’t have let him be alone with her,” the devastated dad said.

Jennifer was struggling with anxiety and depression and left her medication nearly two months ago. Since she kept getting darker and threatened to kill him one day.

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  • Suicidal Philly mom stabs toddler, drowns him in bathtub before trying to take own life
  • “My only concern was that she would do something to me, I never imagined she’d do something to hurt him. She was the sweetest mom to Devon, she never hit him.”

    Joseph’s claims were confirmed by a longtime neighbor and friends who tearfully commented on the tragedy.

    “She was a good woman and friend,” Monica Harris said. “She loved Devon. He was her life. I didn’t know she was going through this. She was the sweetest person.”

    Even during her mental struggles, Devon was “the one person Jennifer was always calm around” and especially as she was forced to stay at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

    Neighbors gathered outside the Josephs’ home to leave candles and blue balloons in the memory of Devon.

    “I know the dad is probably still going to come by and I just want him to know his son is being remembered,” neighbor Jessica Perez said.