When Florida school officials hadn’t seen 6-year-old Ra’myl Pierre for more than two weeks, they contacted police for a welfare check. Deputies from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home in Fort Pierce on May 30, 2025, and found Ra’myl’s mother, Rhonda Paulynice, in the driveway. The 41-year-old led deputies to a horrific scene.
In a news conference, St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro explained Ra’myl last attended school at Samuel Gaines Academy on May 14. When deputies arrived at his home on May 30, his mother took police to a back bedroom, where they discovered Ra’myl’s body.
Deputies questioned Paulynice, who reportedly told investigators she last spoke to her son on May 18. An autopsy will determine Ra’myl’s cause of death, but investigators believe the mother killed her son. And she allegedly had a bizarre story.
“What we did learn in speaking with the mother is she believes she was being told by God to basically exorcise demons out of the child’s body,” Del Toro said. “And when the child had stopped moving and basically passed away, at that point she felt that the child had been released from those demons, and was waiting for him to basically come back, at that time.”
The sheriff shared condolences with Ra’myl’s family and his school community.
“From what I understand, this kid just lit the room up and was just loved by everybody, so they’re all gonna be having a very difficult time getting through this,” he said.
Paulynice regularly shared religiously inspired posts on social media. On May 19, the day after investigators believe Paulynice killed Ra’myl, she wrote, “Steadfast, Faithful, Unshakable.”
One person commented: “Evil at it’s Best… From her Post doesn’t seem to me she has mental health issues!!! She’s a straight up Evil Murderer.”
“Steadfast right into that cell,” another person agreed.
According to online records, a judge set Paulynice’s bond at $150,000. She faces charges of second-degree murder, failure to report death, and willfully touching or moving the body, clothing, or any article upon or near the body.
