A Christmas Day meal in Miami took a violent turn after police say a Florida woman shot her son following an argument that began over brunch and escalated outside a busy restaurant.
According to WPLG, authorities say 50-year-old Roseita Lavette Smith traveled to Overtown with her son on Christmas afternoon to eat at the Red Rooster, a popular neighborhood spot on Northwest Second Avenue.
What was meant to be a family outing reportedly became tense inside the restaurant, where Smith accused her son of behaving in a “disrespectful” manner toward her and other relatives.
According to investigators, the disagreement didn’t end when the meal did. Instead, it carried into the parking lot, where both Smith and her son got into her vehicle. Police say the argument intensified inside the car, prompting the son to step out.
That’s when the situation allegedly turned violent.
Investigators claim Smith followed her son out of the vehicle and fired a single gunshot, striking him in the left thigh. When officers arrived, they found the man on the ground bleeding.
Miami Fire Rescue provided emergency care at the scene before transporting him to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Smith was no longer at the location when police arrived, but authorities say she did not remain at large for long. The Miami Police Department’s Domestic Violence Felony Apprehension Team later located her and took her into custody the same day.
During questioning, Smith told investigators she acted in self-defense. According to police, she claimed her son threatened to assault her after refusing to leave her vehicle and said she feared for her safety based on his past behavior.
Despite that statement, detectives say the victim identified his mother as the person who shot him while speaking with officers at the hospital.
Smith was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center just after midnight and is being held without bond. Jail records show she faces a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, an offense that carries severe penalties under Florida law.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not released the victim’s age or said whether additional charges could be filed.