The future of the one-month-old child who belonged to the two deputies’ has been revealed. As Mamas Uncut previously reported, the St. Lucie community has been morning the loss of two deputies, Clayton Osteen and Victoria Pacheco.
Osteen and Pacheco, who both took their own lives just days apart, shared the one-month-old.
RELATED: Two Deputies Tragically Take Their Own Lives Within Days of Each Other, Leaving Behind a 1-Month-Old
As CBS News reported, Osteen attempted suicide on New Year’s Eve and was taken off of life support on Sunday. On Tuesday, January 4, Pacheco also took her life.
Up until now, it was wondered what would happen to the child that was orphaned. According to People, a GoFundMe reports that the child, whose name is Jayce, will be adopted by a “close family member.”
“Jayce’s parents proudly served their country and community. Baby Jayce now needs the support of community and country to help provide for him going forward,” the GoFundMe reads.
“The families of Clayton and Victoria are so grateful for all prayers and support received. A close family member will be adopting Jayce. All donations will be used for enriching Jayce’s life experiences and securing a brighter future.”
Both Osteen and Pacheco will be laid to rest on January 8, together.
Both Osteen and Pacheco were beloved members of the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Department. As WPTV reports, Osteen joined the department after serving as a U.S. Marine in 2019.
Pacheco joined a year later in 2020. Both of them managed to make a mark on the department in a short time.
In 2020, Osteen was named deputy of the year and saved a person’s life who overdosed on drugs. Similarly, Pacheco also received an award in 2021 for also saving the life of someone who overdosed.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara issued a statement on Facebook following their tragic passings.
“Words cannot express the tremendous loss we all feel after losing these two members of our Sheriff’s Office family. As sheriff, I saw these two deputies as young, ambitious, and a great compliment to my already amazing group of professionals. To the general public, and sometimes even myself, it’s easy to view law enforcement as superhuman … but let’s not forget that they’re human just like us.”
Mascara continued to say, “While it is impossible for us to fully comprehend the private circumstances leading up to this devastating loss, we pray that this tragedy becomes a catalyst for change, a catalyst to help ease the stigma surrounding mental well-being and normalize the conversation about the challenges so many of us face on a regular basis.”
It’s unclear how long the deputies were in a relationship. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of both Osteen and Pacheco during this difficult time.