052320_miamidadecountyjail_mothermurderedson

Miami Dade County jail

Miami Dade County jailBY: CHRISTINA CARREGA, ABC NEWS

(MIAMI) — A Florida mother, who reported to police that her son with autism was abducted by two black men, was charged with the child’s murder, police said.

Patricia Ripley told police that when she was driving on SW 88th Street on Thursday evening, she noticed she was being followed by an unknown car.

Ripley, 47, said the driver of the unknown car attempted to side swipe her car and forced her to turn onto SW 158th Avenue, police said.

Ripley’s 9-year-old son Alejandro Ripley was in the car at the time, she told police.

Ripley said after she made the turn she was blocked in as the passenger of the unknown car “ambushed her” and demanded drugs, according to the Miami-Dade County police report.

“After stating she didn’t have any drugs, he then stole her cellular phone and abducted her son, fleeing southbound in the unknown vehicle,” according to the police report.

Patricia Ripley described the alleged abductors as two black men.

An Amber Alert went out and hours later, was canceled when Alejandro Ripley was found dead in a golf course waterway, police said.

Patricia Ripley was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with premeditated murder.

Police, along with Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle are expected to hold a press conference on Saturday.

If convicted, Patricia Ripley faces a death sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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