THE DEATH OF RA’MYL PIERRE: When Faith Turns Fatal

A Florida mother told police that God commanded her to exorcise demons from her 6-year-old son’s body — and when little Ra’myl Pierre stopped breathing, she believed the boy had finally been set free.

The small bedroom in the Fort Pierce home held a terrible secret. Six-year-old Ra’myl Pierre lay motionless in his bed, his body cold and still. School officials had grown worried when the boy failed to appear for classes, prompting them to request a welfare check that would uncover a horrifying truth.

On a Friday morning in May, deputies from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the modest Florida home shortly after 10 a.m. Ra’myl’s mother, 31-year-old Rhonda Paulynice, met the deputy in the driveway. She walked the officer through her home, leading him directly to her son’s bedroom where the child’s lifeless body awaited discovery.

Sheriff Richard R. Del Toro Jr. would later reveal the disturbing details that emerged during the investigation. Paulynice had told detectives that she believed God was speaking to her, commanding her to remove demons from her young son’s body. She had acted on these perceived divine instructions, believing she was saving the boy’s soul.

When Ra’myl stopped moving and his breathing ceased, Paulynice interpreted his death not as tragedy but as victory. In her mind, the child had been freed from the demons that supposedly tormented him. She believed her actions had been successful — that she had accomplished what she thought God had asked her to do.

The investigation revealed a timeline that painted an even more unsettling picture. Detectives determined that Ra’myl had likely died on May 18, yet his body had remained in the bedroom for days. The last conversation between mother and son had occurred on that same date, marking the moment when the boy’s life came to an end.

During those days that followed, Paulynice had gone about her daily routine while her son’s body decomposed in the next room. She had not contacted authorities, had not sought medical help, and had not reported the death. The only reason the tragedy came to light was because school officials noticed Ra’myl’s absence and took action.

The sheriff’s office had visited the home before, but never for issues involving the mother and child directly. Just one day before Ra’myl’s suspected death, on May 17, deputies had responded to a medical call concerning Paulynice herself. There had been previous domestic incidents at the residence, but these involved disputes between Paulynice and her sister, who no longer lived there.

When detectives interviewed Paulynice following the discovery of her son’s body, they observed behavior that seemed to shift between extremes. Sheriff Del Toro described how the woman displayed what he called “highs and lows” during questioning. At times she would laugh, while at other moments she would break down in tears. This erratic emotional display added another layer of complexity to an already disturbing case.

The physical evidence told its own story. Ra’myl’s body showed signs that would require careful examination by medical professionals to understand exactly what had occurred in those final moments. The cause and manner of death could not be immediately determined, necessitating a full autopsy to reveal the truth of how the young boy had died.

Paulynice faced serious criminal charges as a result of her actions. Prosecutors charged her with second-degree murder, acknowledging that while the death may not have been premeditated in the traditional sense, her actions had directly caused her son’s death. Additional charges included failure to report a death and altering a body, reflecting the days that passed between Ra’myl’s death and the discovery of his remains.

The home where this tragedy unfolded had been occupied by only two people — mother and son. No other family members or friends had been present to witness what occurred or to intervene. Ra’myl had been alone with his mother when she began what she believed to be a spiritual battle for his soul.

The case highlighted the dangerous intersection between mental illness and religious extremism. Paulynice’s belief that she was receiving direct communication from God, combined with her conviction that her young son was possessed by demons, had created a deadly situation. Her actions demonstrated how distorted thinking, whether caused by psychological issues or religious fanaticism, could lead to devastating consequences.

Fort Pierce, like many communities, had seen its share of domestic violence and child abuse cases, but the specific nature of this incident — a mother killing her child in the name of religious deliverance — represented a particularly disturbing form of familial violence. The case would likely prompt discussions about recognizing warning signs of religious extremism and the need for mental health intervention.

Ra’myl Pierre had been just six years old when his life ended. He had been at an age where children typically spend their days learning, playing, and exploring the world around them. Instead, his final moments had been filled with whatever terror or confusion he experienced as his mother carried out what she believed to be God’s will.

The investigation continued as authorities worked to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to Ra’myl’s death. The autopsy would provide crucial information about how the boy died, while forensic evidence from the home would help establish a clearer timeline of events.

SOURCE: NBC News
COVER PHOTO: Rhonda Paulynice’s mugshot (L); Ra’myl Pierre (R). | Credit: St. Lucie County Sheriff; Rhonda Paulynice/Facebook