Man in domestic violence rampage had restraining order

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla (WOFL FOX35) - FOX 35 has learned that a man police say killed his wife and their children, before taking his own life, had a restraining order placed against him months earlier. 

FOX 35 obtained video of a court hearing in Seminole County on January 8, 2016.  In the video, you see Chericia Brown is sitting at one table, and her estranged husband, Henry Brown, at the other.   She told the judge Brown had threatened her life.  

"He has said several times he would find someone to kill me," she explained, "and I, you know, I thought he was joking, but he has pulled my hair and done things I never thought he would do. I don't know what he's capable of doing."

Henry told the judge they were both at fault.  He said, "We both were going back and forth with each other, fighting each other. Um, It wasn't like full out punches being thrown or anything like that. It was just a lot of shoving, grabbing, and so forth."

The judge determined Henry violated a temporary restraining order by contacting Chericia after she filed for the temporary injunction in December. It's something Henry did not deny. He said he was just trying to get paperwork completed to receive food stamps.  

"If we didn't have it in by the 28th, we weren't going to get food assistance," he said. "It's not about me, it's about the kids."

A judge found cause to issue a one-year permanent restraining order, despite the fact Henry seemed to want to work things out and put this all behind him, while alluding to an extra-marital affair. .  "She's clearly upset about the affair and so forth, and this is one way I know she's going to get back at me, by leaving.  You know? She knows I do want my family, and I do want her in my life."

According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, things escalated between the couple on Sunday evening at a Chili’s Restaurant on Lake Mary Boulevard.  Deputies said the 30-year-old husband hid in his 31-year-old estranged wife’s trunk, until she came out of the restaurant.  Detectives said her multiple times in the parking lot.

Investigators said a nurse and paramedic were inside the restaurant eating and ran outside to help Chericia, but that’s when deputies said Henry hopped in a car and ran her over his wife, while also hitting the two good Samaritans.  Then, according to deputies, he drove to Grand Regency Pointe Apartments in Altamonte Springs to pick up his 1-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son from the babysitter and switched vehicles.

Around 12:30 a.m. Henry arrived at Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford, where his wife was being treated and he was looking for her, but law enforcement recognized him and there was an exchange of gunfire.  Brown then got back into a car and sped off onto Interstate 4.  As authorities tried to stop him on the St. Johns River Bridge, detectives said he shot and killed his two children and then killed himself.

A Go Fund Me account has been established to assist with funeral expenses for Chericia Brown and her children.  Find out more here. 

Paramedic run over while treating Cherica Brown remains hospitalized

Caroline Dorton is an Orange City firefighter and paramedic.  She has been a full time employee with the fire department since 2009.  Dorton is being treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Dorton was eating dinner with her fiancee at a Lake Mary restaurant Sunday night when she realized Chericia Brown had been stabbed outside by her estranged husband, Henry Brown.   She and another nurse quickly responded to help her, but the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said the husband ran his car into his wife and the two good Samaritans. All three were rushed to the hospital.

Orange City Fire Chief Ronnie Long said Dorton’s off-duty response to help someone in need was heroic.  "That is what we are trained to do. We are trained to help people out when they are injured," he said.  "We are sorry it ended the way it did."

Chief Long said Dorton was transferred to ORMC on Monday morning.  She remains in serious, but stable, condition.   He said he spoke to her on Tuesday, and she is in good spirits.