Mother doused herself, 2 sons in gasoline before setting them all on fire, investigators say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) - A Florida mother is facing charges after authorities say she intentionally set herself and her two young sons on fire using gasoline, killing one of them.

GRAPHIC WARNING: Details may be disturbing to some readers.

Esther Thelus, 26, can be seen on camera at a 7-Eleven store on Aug. 26 just minutes before setting herself and her two sons on fire, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Clerk Marie Jean says Thelus came into the store with a clear jug in her left hand, an immediate red flag.

"She was telling another guy in Creole that, 'Hey, I need gas.' And the guy like, 'You can't put gas in that water bottle,'" Jean said.

Another customer offered to help Thelus get a gas container, not knowing the horrors to follow.

Earlier in the day, according to investigators, Thelus' roommate said the mother took her 2-year-old son to his alleged father's house to give him up, so she could move to Fort Lauderdale. The man and his mother both denied he was the boy's father and asked her to get a DNA test first.

Deputies say after some time passed, the man's mother brought the 2-year-old back to Thelus' house. That's when Thelus went to the 7-Eleven just minutes away.

Jean says selling gasoline to Thelus is a transaction she'll never forget.

"'Am I making the right decision to do what I'm going to do?' I think that's what she's telling herself because she wants to do it, but she doesn't want to do it," Jean said. "As soon as she left the store, I would say it wasn't even an hour before officers came to talk to me."

Investigators say when Thelus returned home, she gathered her children – the 2-year-old and her infant son – doused herself and them in gas then set them all on fire.

Following the incident, Thelus is still in the hospital. Her 2-year-old son is expected to be OK, but her infant son died nearly two months later with 80% of his body burned.

When Thelus' roommate asked her why she had committed the act, deputies say Thelus claimed it was due to "too much humiliation."

"But the kids didn't ask to be born. I would rather you go to the fire department, drop them off, say you can no longer provide for them instead of doing something like that," Jean said.

The 7-Eleven clerk says she wishes she was able to do something to prevent what happened.

"I kind of have PTSD because I feel bad that happened in my store. Everything was provided from my store," Jean said.

Thelus is facing charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.