Florida Murder-Suicide: Father Kills 4-Year-Old Child After Mother Sought Court Order

In a murder-suicide incident in South Florida, a man and his 4-year-old son were found dead just hours after the boy's mother petitioned for an emergency order for law enforcement officials to pick up the child.

On Friday, officers with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department found John M. Stacey, 47, and his son, Greyson Martin Kessler, dead inside a condo in Las Olas. Authorities did not reveal any other details, according to local10.com.

Less than 12 hours after the discovery of the bodies, the boy's mother, Alison Kessler, received an email from a judge denying her motion for an emergency pick-up order, the South Florida SunSentinel reported. The judge said the motion "does not present an emergency as it addresses the issue of child visitation."

The child's mother had filed a motion in court seeking protection against the father for stalking and domestic violence. She told the court that the man was using fake social media accounts to follow her. Three days before the deaths, he texted her, "You deserve to have your head separated from your body," according to her petition. The mother also said Stacey hadn't taken the child to school.

"It just absolutely breaks my heart because our system can do better," Meaghan Marro, the mother's attorney, reportedly said.

William Devries, the man's landlord, said the boy's mother had called him saying the father seemed "not right" and wanted someone to check on her son.

"She was very concerned, obviously," Devries said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by other family members to seek help for the mother.

"The police, child protective services, and the criminal justice system failed Greyson and Ali, who filed multiple emergency orders to get Greyson safely away from the father, who had been sending threatening text messages and emails to Ali, and exhibited frightening behavior," according to the page.

"While our family mourns, we need assistance with funeral costs, lawyer costs and fees, and general life expenses for Alison Kessler, his mother as she attempts to carry on daily tasks while living every parents' worst nightmare. . . This fundraiser is to help Ali afford living expenses, and any other expenses that arise as result of this immense loss," the page read.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.