A mother in Flagler County is hurting following a domestic violence incident that claimed her boyfriend’s life and took her son’s father away in a tragic murder suicide in late August. Her friend Jessica Goldberg spoke about the family’s tragedy and the community effort to support them. To read the full story of the tragic incident, click here.
Goldberg explained that she has been friends with the mother, Stephanie, for over 15 years. She said that Stephanie is a hardworking, outgoing, and family-oriented mother who had a supportive family that includes her own mom, who lives in the area. Goldberg said that she never met Andrew, Stephanie’s boyfriend, because Stephanie didn’t want to create any tension with her ex. However, Stephanie did want people to know that Andrew was a “kind man who came from a loving family” who “would give you the shirt off his back,” and who “absolutely did not deserve this.”
A Relationship That Came Apart
Goldberg said that her own boyfriend was once best friends with Stephanie’s ex, Rome, and that years ago, they were all close friends. However, Goldberg said that after Rome’s mom passed away, he had mental issues and “became somebody that nobody really recognized.”
Goldberg went on to say that Stephanie, who wanted to keep the family together for the sake of her son, had a tumultuous relationship with Rome. Calls were made to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for multiple domestic disturbances at the couple’s house. Ultimately, Stephanie broke up with Rome for the sake of herself and her son. Goldberg said that Rome was verbally abusive, didn’t handle the breakup well, and moved out.
About three weeks before the incident, Goldberg said that Rome reached out to a suicide hotline and said that he wasn’t doing well and needed help. Stephanie had been interviewed by deputies previously, Goldberg said, and Rome had been Baker Acted, Florida’s version of a temporary mental health hold. He had been released after a certain period of time and had been instructed to return in about a month to get evaluated, she said. Goldberg said that she believes the mental health system failed everyone involved. “I think the system failed everybody in this,” she said.
A Family in Grief
Goldberg said that the family is absolutely devastated. Stephanie is living with anxiety and “what if” scenarios, Goldberg said, and is undergoing therapy through victim services. Her 4-year-old son thankfully didn’t visually see what happened but did hear some of the incident. He is also slated to begin seeing a therapist.
Goldberg said that Stephanie had to find the right words to explain to the young boy what had happened, and with the help of a therapist, she told him that “your daddy’s in heaven” and that “his brain was sick.” Stephanie’s son was absolutely heartbroken and told his mom, “I want my daddy.”
The family is struggling financially, Goldberg said, and Stephanie doesn’t want to live in the house where both her current boyfriend and the father of her child died, but is being asked to pay a hefty amount to get out of her lease. Stephanie has been missing work, Goldberg said, because she gets anxious and has racing thoughts that make it difficult to concentrate.
How the Community Can Help
Friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe page and are planning a fundraising event at a bowling alley in Palm Coast where one of Stephanie’s friends works. Financial donations are the family’s top priority at this time, but “even just sharing the GoFundMe or just words of encouragement” can help, Goldberg said. Stephanie has taken a step back from social media and can feel alone at times, so Goldberg said people who have been through the same thing she has and have gotten through it are welcome to reach out to Stephanie to let her know she’s not alone and that “she has the Flagler County community kind of behind her.” The GoFundMe page can be found here.
Towards the end of her statement, Goldberg touched on domestic violence and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. You can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. The Family Life Center also provides resources for those going through domestic violence situations. You can call them at 386-437-3505.
