Topline: Authorities say a suicide note left at a DeLand home led deputies to stop a car and rescue a disabled teenager found unresponsive inside.
Published: January 2, 2026 12:57 pm ET
Must Read
Deborah Collier (via Volusia Sheriff's Office)
DELAND, FL — A Florida woman was taken into custody Monday night after deputies say they intervened in what appeared to be a planned murder-suicide involving her disabled 13-year-old great-granddaughter, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began searching for 69-year-old Deborah A. Collier around 4:20 p.m. after family members discovered a suicide note at her home in the Daytona Park Estates area and reported her missing, authorities said. According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy later spotted Collier’s vehicle near Seville and initiated a traffic stop to conduct a well-being check.
Inside the car, deputies found Collier behind the wheel and her great-granddaughter unconscious in the passenger seat, the sheriff’s office said. Collier told the deputy the child was sleeping, and the deputy observed that she was breathing. Investigators soon noticed white pill residue on the girl and determined she was completely unresponsive, prompting her transport to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.
The teenager, who requires around-the-clock care because of her disabilities, was listed in stable condition following treatment, the sheriff’s office said. Other reports, including WESH and Fox 35 Orlando, said she remained in intensive care as of the latest update. An arrest affidavit cited by those outlets states the girl had white pill residue “all over her.”
According to investigators, deputies found prescription medication bottles in Collier’s purse along with a typed note explaining she intended to end both her own life and her great-granddaughter’s in order to relieve what she described as ongoing stress on the family. The Washington Times and the sheriff’s office both reported that the note referenced the emotional toll of the situation.
Detectives learned that Collier and her husband have been the child’s sole guardians since birth, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the demands of providing constant care had contributed to mounting strain within the family. Collier opposed suggestions from relatives to move the child into an assisted living facility, telling investigators she believed no one would care for her like family, according to the arrest affidavit cited by WESH and Fox 35 Orlando.
Investigators allege Collier intentionally gave the child prescription medication in an effort to end her life before attempting to take her own, WESH reported. Deputies intervened before that could happen.
Collier was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. She was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail, where she is being held without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or use online chat services. If you are outside the U.S., local resources are available through international crisis hotlines.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or use online chat services. If you are outside the U.S., local resources are available through international crisis hotlines.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Great-Grandmother Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Kill Disabled 13-Year-Old, Herself
Authorities say a suicide note left at a DeLand home led deputies to stop a car and rescue a disabled teenager found unresponsive inside.
By Jacob Charles
Published: January 2, 2026 12:57 pm ET
Deborah Collier (via Volusia Sheriff's Office)
DELAND, FL — A Florida woman was taken into custody Monday night after deputies say they intervened in what appeared to be a planned murder-suicide involving her disabled 13-year-old great-granddaughter, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began searching for 69-year-old Deborah A. Collier around 4:20 p.m. after family members discovered a suicide note at her home in the Daytona Park Estates area and reported her missing, authorities said. According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy later spotted Collier’s vehicle near Seville and initiated a traffic stop to conduct a well-being check.
Inside the car, deputies found Collier behind the wheel and her great-granddaughter unconscious in the passenger seat, the sheriff’s office said. Collier told the deputy the child was sleeping, and the deputy observed that she was breathing. Investigators soon noticed white pill residue on the girl and determined she was completely unresponsive, prompting her transport to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.
The teenager, who requires around-the-clock care because of her disabilities, was listed in stable condition following treatment, the sheriff’s office said. Other reports, including WESH and Fox 35 Orlando, said she remained in intensive care as of the latest update. An arrest affidavit cited by those outlets states the girl had white pill residue “all over her.”
According to investigators, deputies found prescription medication bottles in Collier’s purse along with a typed note explaining she intended to end both her own life and her great-granddaughter’s in order to relieve what she described as ongoing stress on the family. The Washington Times and the sheriff’s office both reported that the note referenced the emotional toll of the situation.
Detectives learned that Collier and her husband have been the child’s sole guardians since birth, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the demands of providing constant care had contributed to mounting strain within the family. Collier opposed suggestions from relatives to move the child into an assisted living facility, telling investigators she believed no one would care for her like family, according to the arrest affidavit cited by WESH and Fox 35 Orlando.
Investigators allege Collier intentionally gave the child prescription medication in an effort to end her life before attempting to take her own, WESH reported. Deputies intervened before that could happen.
Collier was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. She was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail, where she is being held without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or use online chat services. If you are outside the U.S., local resources are available through international crisis hotlines.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Great-Grandmother Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Kill Disabled 13-Year-Old, Herself
Authorities say a suicide note left at a DeLand home led deputies to stop a car and rescue a disabled teenager found unresponsive inside.
By Jacob Charles
Published: January 2, 2026 12:57 pm ET
Deborah Collier (via Volusia Sheriff's Office)
DELAND, FL — A Florida woman was taken into custody Monday night after deputies say they intervened in what appeared to be a planned murder-suicide involving her disabled 13-year-old great-granddaughter, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began searching for 69-year-old Deborah A. Collier around 4:20 p.m. after family members discovered a suicide note at her home in the Daytona Park Estates area and reported her missing, authorities said. According to the sheriff’s office, a deputy later spotted Collier’s vehicle near Seville and initiated a traffic stop to conduct a well-being check.
Inside the car, deputies found Collier behind the wheel and her great-granddaughter unconscious in the passenger seat, the sheriff’s office said. Collier told the deputy the child was sleeping, and the deputy observed that she was breathing. Investigators soon noticed white pill residue on the girl and determined she was completely unresponsive, prompting her transport to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.
The teenager, who requires around-the-clock care because of her disabilities, was listed in stable condition following treatment, the sheriff’s office said. Other reports, including WESH and Fox 35 Orlando, said she remained in intensive care as of the latest update. An arrest affidavit cited by those outlets states the girl had white pill residue “all over her.”
According to investigators, deputies found prescription medication bottles in Collier’s purse along with a typed note explaining she intended to end both her own life and her great-granddaughter’s in order to relieve what she described as ongoing stress on the family. The Washington Times and the sheriff’s office both reported that the note referenced the emotional toll of the situation.
Detectives learned that Collier and her husband have been the child’s sole guardians since birth, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the demands of providing constant care had contributed to mounting strain within the family. Collier opposed suggestions from relatives to move the child into an assisted living facility, telling investigators she believed no one would care for her like family, according to the arrest affidavit cited by WESH and Fox 35 Orlando.
Investigators allege Collier intentionally gave the child prescription medication in an effort to end her life before attempting to take her own, WESH reported. Deputies intervened before that could happen.
Collier was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. She was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail, where she is being held without bond, according to the sheriff’s office.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or use online chat services. If you are outside the U.S., local resources are available through international crisis hotlines.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
