By Kait Hanson -
NBC News
The young son of two Florida police officers who died by suicide will be adopted by a close relative, according to a fundraising page to support the baby.
Clayton Osteen and Victoria Pacheco work in the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
They died by suicide this week, the office said, leaving behind
their one-month-old baby, Jayce Osteen
.
Kelly Ridle, a friend of Osteen's who created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Jayce's future, shared the news that the baby would be adopted by a "close relative."
One-month-old baby Jayce Osteen in a photo shared on the fundraising page GoFundMe
“
The Clayton and Victoria families are very grateful for all the prayers and support received
,” wrote Ridle on the donation page.
"All donations will be used to enrich Jayce's life and ensure a better future for him," he said.
A GoFundMe representative confirmed the validity of the fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $ 60,000, to NBC's TODAY program.
["I hope some of you choose me," said this homeless boy. Now she has thousands of adoption requests]
Sheriff Ken J. Mascara disclosed in a Facebook post that
Osteen, 24, had attempted suicide
on New Year's Eve.
They took him off life support on Sunday.
Pacheco, 23, died by suicide days later.
"Words cannot express the tremendous loss we feel after losing these two members of our Sheriff's Office family," Mascara said in the statement.
The sheriff recognized the importance of mental health.
"While it is impossible for us to fully understand the private circumstances that led to this devastating loss, we pray that this tragedy will become a catalyst for change," he said.
"Our schools have to be prepared to serve mental health," says the Secretary of Education
Dec. 10, 202101: 59
"A catalyst to
help alleviate the stigmas around mental health and normalize the conversation about the challenges many of us face on a regular basis
," he said.
The sheriff's office shared an additional donation page for Jayce on Friday based on the "tremendous amount of support" received in the wake of the tragedy.
A spokesman for the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office did not offer further comment to TODAY.
[Twin babies are born in California on different days, months and years]
A native of Florida, Osteen served in the Marine Corps and led noncommissioned officer training prior to his job as a deputy sheriff, according to his obituary.
He was awarded the recognition of Sheriff's Deputy of the Year in 2020 and would have turned 25 on January 14.
Pacheco, known as “Tori”, was remembered as a “young woman with self-esteem, strong-willed and courageous” who loved her son, her pets, and went on adventures like swimming with sharks.
Funeral services for Osteen and Pacheco will be Saturday, according to their obituaries online at Haisley Funeral Home.
If you or someone
you know may be at risk,
call
the Suicide Prevention Line
1-888-628-9454
, which offers free, confidential,
Spanish
-language support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.