Having been given up by Woodard, Cruz was adopted by Lynda and Roger in 1998, as was his biological brother Zachary, the couple raising both boys together.īut Cruz began to exhibit signs of disturbing behaviour from the age of three when he first encountered other children, according to Ms McNeill, who said he was subsequently given psychiatric help and diagnosed with antisocial personality disorders. She said that she saw Ms Woodard continue to take drugs, drink alcohol and smoke while pregnant, saying that her onetime friend “didn’t care about anything” other than her addictions. Ms Deakins said that she first met Ms Woodard in the early 90s when they were both working as prostitutes and drank and took drugs including crack cocaine together. One time, she allegedly forced her own mother – Danielle’s grandmother – to strip naked so that she could search her for concealed drug money.ĭanielle and a second defence witness Carolyn Deakins both testified that they saw Woodard take drugs and drink alcohol while pregnant with Cruz. “Nikolas was developing in her polluted womb,” she said.ĭanielle also recounted other experiences with her mother – who she would only refer to as Brenda – including times she smuggled clean urine to pass probation drug tests and fraternised with “junkies”. “She looked at me, and said, ‘I got raped,’ and she took another swig, turned up the radio,” Danielle testified. Reporter Stephen Hobbs contributed to this story.She recalled the moment she learned her mother was pregnant with Cruz in 1998, when her mother picked her up in her car in Fort Lauderdale and she spotted her baby bump. Property records filed in Broward County show the Cruz family’s Parkland home sold in January 2017 for $575,000. In December 2016, Lynda Cruz re-opened the probate file of her late husband, stating that she had a “contract in place to short sell the property.”Ĭommonly in such a transaction, the proceeds from the sale do not cover the amount of money owed on the property in mortgage and taxes. The newly-opened probate case sheds no light on the value of Lynda Cruz’s estate. ![]() Most of the money would come when he turned 22, Nikolas claimed. Property records show Deschamps and Lynda Cruz were neighbors at one time in Parkland, living on the same street.Īfter their mother’s death in November, both sons stayed in Lantana with Deschamps, but Nikolas left and went to live in Parkland with James and Kimberly Snead, the parents of a schoolmate of his.Ĭruz told the Sneads he stood to inherit at least $800,000 from his deceased parents. The rule generally requires that a felony defendant go to trial within 175 days of arrest unless it's waived.Ĭruz, 19, is charged with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Februschool shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl.Ĭruz's attorney has said he would plead guilty if guaranteed life without parole, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The hearing is expected to deal with several procedural issues possibly including setting an initial trial date and Cruz's public defender possibly ask to waive Florida's speedy trial rule. ![]() Standing to the left of Cruz is his attorney Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill. Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz walks back in court in front of The Broward County Public Defender's office urged Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer for a hearing to move forward the death penalty case Friday afternoon, April 27, 2018, in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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