A 68-year-old Florida mother is facing serious criminal charges

A 68-year-old Florida mother is facing serious criminal charges after investigators say she intentionally gave her two adult sons excessive amounts of medication in an attempt to kill them.

Marilyn Elise Therrell lives in the Kissimmee area of Florida.

Her two sons, ages 30 and 32, have severe autism and require significant care and support.

On September 8, 2026, deputies were called to a home on Indian Ridge Trail South after receiving a report of a possible drug overdose.

When emergency workers arrived, they found Therrell and both of her sons showing signs of medication overdoses.

All three were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Thankfully, authorities later said all three were expected to survive.

But as detectives began investigating what happened inside the home, they started to believe the overdoses may not have been accidental.

Investigators collected evidence from the house and spoke with a family member and the landlord.

Then, on September 17, detectives interviewed Therrell again.

According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Therrell admitted that she had intentionally given her sons too much medication because she wanted to end their lives.

Authorities also say she took an overdose herself.

During the interview, Therrell reportedly told investigators that her husband had died the previous year.

She said caring for her two adult sons had become increasingly difficult after his death.

That information may help explain the circumstances investigators are examining, but it does not excuse what police allege happened.

Therrell was arrested and booked into the Osceola County Jail.

She is now charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult.

The charges are allegations, and her guilt will have to be determined through the court process.

Her two sons remained hospitalized after the incident.

Authorities said that once they are medically cleared to leave the hospital, they are expected to be placed under the care of Adult Protective Services through the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The investigation remains ongoing.

The case has also raised difficult questions about the pressures faced by families caring for adults with significant disabilities and the importance of having support available before a caregiver reaches a crisis.

Whatever the court ultimately decides, the most important fact right now is that both sons survived.

Two vulnerable adults who depended on their mother for care are now receiving medical treatment and are expected to be placed somewhere authorities believe they can be kept safe.