A Florida mother has spoken of her heartbreak and anger after discovering her two young children shot dead alongside their father during a scheduled custody handover in Cocoa.
Olivia Piccolo had gone to collect Remy, seven, and Aria, five, from their father, Joseph Dingwall, 37, on Wednesday.
According to police, Piccolo tried to contact Dingwall after arriving for the handover but received no response.
She subsequently went to his residence, where she found the front door ajar.
Inside, she discovered the bodies of her two children and their father, the Cocoa Police Department said.
Investigators suspect Dingwall shot the children before turning the gun on himself.
However, authorities have not publicly established the full circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Grieving Mother Questions Father’s Failure to Protect Children
In a Facebook post shared after the tragedy, Piccolo expressed anger towards her children’s father, saying he had been expected to protect them.
“I’m still in shock. You were supposed to be their protector. Their provider. One of their safe places. I’m so angry,” she wrote.
Despite her anger, the grieving mother emphasised that her love for Remy and Aria remained greater than anything else she was feeling.
She recalled how becoming a mother had transformed her life and said her children deserved far more than what had happened to them.
Piccolo also promised to ensure that the children would be remembered for who they were rather than the circumstances of their deaths.
“I swear I’ll love you forever and ever and I will let every person in this world know how amazing each of you are,” she added.
Laundry Reminds Mother of Children She Has Lost
Another emotional Facebook post revealed how ordinary household activities had become painful reminders of Piccolo’s loss.
Writing on Saturday evening, she described sorting through laundry that had remained untouched in her washing machine since Tuesday night.
Among the clothes, she noticed tiny socks, small underwear, pull-ups that Aria had used to call by that name, and numerous T-shirts belonging to the children.
Piccolo said she briefly felt unable to continue with the task before reminding herself of the strength her children had given her throughout their lives.
She explained that they had taught her to keep moving forward, regardless of how difficult circumstances became.
Neighbour Reports Hearing Gunshots Overnight
A neighbour, Marcos Garcia, told WESH 2 that he heard what sounded like two gunshots at approximately 12.20am on Wednesday.
Garcia said the noises came from across the street, although it remains unclear whether they originated from the property where the children and their father were later found.
Cocoa Police Chief Evander Collier IV said no 911 calls were received around the time the neighbour reported hearing the shots.
Police also said footage from a neighbour’s security camera appeared to show Dingwall outside the residence around the time the gunshots were heard.
The footage forms part of the information being examined as investigators work to establish what happened.
Police Had Previously Responded to the Residence
Chief Collier disclosed that officers had been called to the home 11 times since 2021.
The calls involved a variety of matters, including medical incidents and suspicious activities.
However, Collier said he did not have further details about the individual calls when questioned about them.
Authorities have not publicly explained whether any of the earlier police visits were connected to the fatal shooting.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the circumstances leading to the deaths have yet to be fully established.
Fundraisers Launched to Support Grieving Mother
Two online fundraising campaigns have been established to help Piccolo and her family, including a GiveSendGo fundraiser intended to cover funeral expenses and a GoFundMe campaign created in honour of Remy and Aria.
According to the friend who organised the GiveSendGo campaign, Remy was approaching his eighth birthday.
The fundraiser described the siblings as “two very precious and deeply loved children” and offered a glimpse into the close bond they shared with their mother.
The campaign also highlighted how central the children were to Piccolo’s life, describing them as her entire world and noting that her days revolved around being their mother.
Remy was additionally remembered as a fierce protector of his younger sister and his mother.
