AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A Polk County teen has been indicted for first-degree murder and kidnapping a week after he allegedly stabbed his mother to death in Auburndale, according to new court documents.
Collin Griffith, 17, is accused of murdering his mother, 39-year-old Catherine Griffith. According to authorities, this happened just a year after he shot his father to death in Oklahoma, claiming self-defense. Charges against Griffith in that case were dropped. 10 Tampa Bay is naming the teen because he's being charged as an adult.
The indictment also accuses Griffith of "confining, abducting or imprisoning" his mother against her will on the day she was killed.
In a press conference on Sept. 11, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies and Fire Rescue crews responded to a house on Hewlett Drive after the 17-year-old called the sheriff's office, saying his mother fell on a knife while they argued, resulting in a wound to her neck.
Once deputies and crews arrived, Catherine was pronounced dead at the scene. When the sheriff's office asked Griffith what happened, he reportedly became "immediately uncooperative" and asked to speak with a lawyer.
Noticing inconsistencies in the teen's story, deputies talked with witnesses, who reported seeing the teen fighting with his mom before grabbing her by the hair and dragging her inside the home.
Witnesses reportedly heard Catherine repeatedly pleading with her son to let her go.
In a video, Florida State Attorney Brian Haas explained his decision to charge Griffith as an adult.
"I made the decision to charge this 17-year-old as an adult based upon the egregious facts and circumstances of this case," Haas said. "Charging a minor as an adult is not a decision that I take lightly, but as state attorney, it is my responsibility to do so when warranted."
Haas also mentioned that while charges against Griffith were dropped following the death of his father in Oklahoma, Polk County deputies are working with authorities in that state "to be sure they are provided all relevant information and evidence" to evaluate their case.
"The Polk County murder charge will now move on to an arraignment," Haas said. "My prosecutors and the deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office will continue to work together to pursue justice in this case and hold Collin Griffith accountable for his murder."
Watch Haas's full statement below: