OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A woman accused of killing her own mother “admitted to hitting her with a hammer” following her arrest on Saturday, according to Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
Deputies arrested Natalie Gonzalez, who was found at a home on Windy Dune Court in Kissimmee on Saturday holding a hammer and a pair of scissors, the sheriff said at a news conference Monday afternoon.
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“She refused to put them down, but our deputies were successful in taking her into custody without causing her any harm,” Lopez said. “She continuously stated she was sorry. She kept saying ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Shortly thereafter, deputies located Gonzalez’s mother, Jacqueline Negron, dead in a bathroom, records show. Investigators said the woman had signs to blunt force trauma and stab wounds.
Lopez said the daughter told deputies she attacked Negron because she thought the victim was someone else.
“My understanding is during the interview, Miss Gonzalez said she believed her mother to be a ‘Becca’ and ‘Becca’ had kidnapped her and was trying to hurt her,” Lopez said. “Miss Gonzalez several times stated she didn’t realize it was her mother. She added her mother was her best friend.”
Lopez added that investigators still do not know who “Becca” may be.
Gonzalez faces a charge of first-degree murder. She was scheduled to make a first appearance at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, but she did not. Her defense said that she was “extremely agitated” that morning and correctional officers had to use a Taser on her.