Police: Vacationing teen stabbed mother, brother

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - A Massachusetts family's vacation in Siesta Key took a dramatic turn, and now one of them is being charged with attempted second degree murder.

The beautiful beaches near Fisherman's Cove drew Melissa Ramgren to bring her two sons on a tropical vacation. On Tuesday, Ramgren posted on social media about the fun she and her teenage sons were having while collecting shark teeth. 

The next night around 9 p.m., she frantically called the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office to report her 16-year-old son had stabbed her and his 14-year-old brother.

"We have to remember, when people come here to visit, they come here to enjoy paradise," explained Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Lt. Debra Kaspar. "Sometimes, if there's family issues that travel along with them, even though they are in paradise, sometimes those issues will still present themselves."

Deputies said they found the teenager at a home a few blocks away. The homeowner told FOX 13 the teenager knocked on his door and asked for help, and that  his family was being attacked.

But when deputies showed up, he gave a full confession. He was arrested and charged with two felony counts of attempted second degree murder.

"There was some sort of disturbance that led to this. I'm not sure exactly how it transpired, but obviously something happened in that home that led to that stabbing," said Lt. Kaspar

An arrest affidavit shows Ramgren's youngest son said, "He thought he was going to die and asked why his brother would do this."

Ramgren and her 14-year-old son are recovering. Deputies are still trying to figure out why this happened.
They collected evidence and knocked on doors Thursday morning.

"They asked us if we heard anything around 9 o'clock - any delinquent activities in the hallway - and we told them that we didn't," said vacationer Conrad Perez.

As families like Perez's continue to enjoy paradise, the thought of what happened lingers.

"It is tragic and it's kind of scary to just think that something like that could happen," he said.