Port Charlotte Teen Charged with Murdering Mother After History of Violence and Mental Health Struggles
Polk County, Fla. – Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old from Port Charlotte, is facing murder charges in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, following a violent history and numerous interventions that failed to prevent the tragic outcome. Court records reveal a troubling pattern of behavior, escalating concerns about his mental health, and a series of incidents that led to the fatal confrontation.
The harrowing events culminated on September 8, 2024, when a neighbor witnessed Collin dragging his mother by the hair into a home in Auburndale. Hours later, Collin called 911, telling dispatchers, “I’ve had a very, very long fight with mom, and she fell on a knife, and she’s bleeding from the neck.” Deputies arrived to find Collin covered in blood. Following their investigation, they concluded that Collin had stabbed his mother multiple times in the neck, leading to her death.
This incident followed a long history of violent and alarming behavior by Collin. According to records obtained from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the troubled teen had made violent threats against his mother previously. In a chilling declaration made a year before the murder, Collin had told deputies that he would kill his mother. Despite this warning, Catherine Griffith continued to provide care for her son, driven by what family attorney and friend Eric Reyes described as the “unconditional love of your child.” Reyes added, “Unfortunately, it cost her life in this case.”
In September 2023, the situation escalated when a school officer called the sheriff’s office to conduct a mental health check on Collin. During the incident, Collin claimed his mother had pulled a gun on him and threatened both his life and her own. Catherine denied these allegations, explaining that Collin was upset with her for confiscating his phone and AirPods due to his failing grades. She disclosed that her son suffered from severe PTSD, stemming from a traumatic period in his past when his father, Charles Griffith, held him captive for 1,041 days in Oklahoma.
Collin’s tumultuous history also included the shooting death of his father in February 2023. Collin claimed his father had threatened him with a knife, prompting him to shoot. Prosecutors ultimately decided not to press charges, as they could not rule out self-defense.
After the September 2023 incident, Collin was placed in protective custody for a mental health evaluation under the Baker Act. Despite efforts by Catherine to find a long-term mental health facility willing to accept Collin, he was eventually released from care. Upon his release, he made alarming threats, telling staff that he would kill either himself or his mother if he returned home. “I will throw them out of the car, shoot or stab them, I’ve done it before, to my dad, I know I can do it again,” he warned.
Catherine persisted in her efforts to secure treatment for her son, placing him in a long-term facility near Jupiter. However, after spending several months there, Collin returned to live with his mother. The situation deteriorated further in November 2023 when Collin allegedly attacked his mother during a meal, an incident witnessed by his grandmother. Collin was arrested on domestic violence charges, and while in jail, he repeated his threats to kill his mother if released.
Despite the clear danger and repeated warnings, Catherine’s unconditional love and hope for her son’s recovery led her to continue supporting him. In a statement after months of therapy, she expressed her fear: “I don’t think he can come home though, because I don’t feel safe with him coming home saying these things.”
The situation reached its fatal conclusion in September 2024. After a fight with his mother, Collin drove to his grandmother’s home in Auburndale. Catherine, concerned for her son’s well-being, went to check on him. Two days later, Collin’s actions culminated in the violent attack that took his mother’s life.
Collin Griffith is now charged with murder, ending a tragic sequence of events marked by mental health struggles, violent behavior, and a mother’s desperate efforts to save her son. The case has raised difficult questions about the limitations of the mental health system and the challenges faced by families dealing with similar situations.
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