‘I shot my baby’: Woman sentenced in 2024 shooting death of her son
A Wichita woman who shot and killed her 16-year-old son last year while trying to scare the teen into behaving was sentenced to 194 months in prison Friday.
Tesha Florence, 47, was initially charged with intentional second degree murder last October after putting a gun to her 16-year-old son’s head and shooting him in their east Wichita apartment. Robert Florence, who was staying home from school, was “pushing her buttons,” court documents said, “pulling down the curtains and tearing up bits of paper and throwing them on the floor.”
When he reached for her purse, which contained her Ruger 9mm handgun, Florence took the handbag and firearm and asked him “Do you just want to die?” Then, an affidavit read, the gun went off, striking the teen in the head. He was pronounced dead two days later, on Oct. 11.
According to the affidavit, Florence was emotionally distraught after police arrived. She said her son was a “bad kid,” but told police she did not mean to shoot him.
She “made the statement of, ‘I shot my baby,’” the affidavit read. “ ... ( She) went limp and dropped to the ground.”
Florence pleaded no contest to second degree unintentional but reckless murder. She also pleaded no contest to aggravated burglary and aggravated assault stemming from a March 2024 incident in which she threatened her ex-husband and his girlfriend with a gun.
In court on Friday, Florence apologized and asked God for forgiveness. A friend of Florence who made a victim impact statement asked the judge for leniency and to ensure she receives mental health care.
“I know you’ve got to sentence her,” the friend said. “But make sure she gets mental help.”
She was sentenced to 16 years and two months. As part of her plea agreement, she will be subject to three years post-release supervision after completing her sentence and must register as a violent offender.
This story was originally published October 17, 2025 at 5:51 PM.
