Osceola woman found guilty in 2023 attempted murder of boyfriends two children

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - In January 2023, a woman from Osceola County was arrested after stabbing her boyfriend's two children, a 10-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. When deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene, they discovered the children’s father had subdued the woman by pinning her to the ground.

Both children were immediately treated for their stab wounds, while the father received medical care for cuts to his hand.

More than a year later, 40-year-old Doris Espinoza-Rodriguez was found guilty by an Osceola County jury on two counts of Attempted Second-Degree Murder with a Weapon, Aggravated Child Abuse with a Weapon, and Felony Battery.

During her trial, Espinoza-Rodriguez took the stand, claiming she acted in self-defense and alleging that the father had ordered his children to attack her. Despite her testimony, the jury convicted her of all charges.

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Espinoza-Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced in December. The Felony Battery charge carries a minimum sentence of nearly 20 years, while each Attempted Second-Degree Murder conviction is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The charge of Aggravated Child Abuse with a Weapon is punishable by life in prison.