Stephen Thomas Rodda, aged 37, from Lake Wales in Polk County, Florida, was arrested on Monday, September 4, subsequent to allegations of him causing the death of his 16-year-old son, Stephen Lee Rodda, using an angle grinder.
The tragic event was reported to have taken place inside a mobile home, as detailed by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
At the time, the teenager, who hoped to become an electrician, was living with his grandfather, Thomas Rodda, 67. His stay was meant to support his grandfather while his grandmother was in a rehab facility.
The morning of the incident, after visiting his wife, the grandfather encountered Stephen Thomas outside their home. Stephen Thomas allegedly confessed to the crime and warned his father against entering the home. He even suggested reaching out to the police. The gravity of the situation was confirmed when the grandfather found his grandson deceased inside the house.
The equipment used in the incident, as described by authorities, was a kind of heavy-duty saw.
The police apprehended Stephen Thomas Rodda on Highway 60. His record shows a notable history of criminal behavior, including an unresolved warrant in South Carolina. Sheriff Judd commented on the father’s troubled history of crime and drug abuse and expressed sympathy for the family’s profound loss.
Sheriff Judd also spoke about the aspirations of the young Stephen, a student of Frostproof High School, who was soon to start work at a local Burger King with plans to save for a vehicle.
Investigations are underway to uncover the root cause of the incident.
