‘Cremate Me with my Children’: Mother Kills her Four Kids then Self in Port St. John

A Port St. John woman gunned down her four children early this morning, then turned the gun on herself, Brevard County authorities said.

33-year-old Tanya Thomas, of Port St. John, shot and killed Joel Johnson, 12, Jazlin Johnson, 13, Jaxs Johnson, 15, and 17-year-old Pebbles Johnson, investigators said.

A neighbor told investigators that, around 4:50 a.m., three of the children, Joel, Jazlin and Pebbles knocked on his door asking for help, but returned home after their mother, Tanya called them back. The neighbor also called 911 to report the sound of gunshots.

Deputies, who arrived shortly after to the home on 7245 Bright Avenue in Port St. John, heard three gunshots around 4.54 a.m., then a fourth around 5:00 a.m.

Authorities said, one of the children, later identified as Pebbles, who had already been shot, exited the home. She was transported by police car to a nearby ambulance and rendered medical assistance but was pronounced dead at the scene.

Around 5:15 a.m., someone was seen moving around inside the home, investigators said, as evidenced by a cigarette. Then a final shot rang out at 5:26 a.m.

SWAT team members entered the home where they found three children, Joel, Jazlin and Jaxs deceased throughout various parts of the home. Thomas was also found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

It has been reported that Thomas sent a text message to a friend around 3:00 a.m., indicating that she wished to be cremated with her children. The friend did not receive the message until after the shootings occurred, said Lt. Tod Goodyear of the Brevard County sheriff’s office.

It is not clear what led to Thomas’ shooting rampage, as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call BCSO at 321-633-7162.