![]() ![]() The woman expressed concern about if that was appropriate and also said Cruz “gets crazy” and suspicious about his money. ![]() She told the FBI she knew that Cruz was expecting to inherit at least $25,000 and had told someone that Snead was going to invest it for him. The woman who called the FBI also indicated that Cruz had declined to communicate with her. Snead said he does not recall receiving any voicemails or messages from other relatives or family friends and thinks he would have returned them at the time if he did. “I don’t recall her saying anything negative about him at all.” She was genuinely concerned for his wellbeing and what was going on with him,” Snead said. “The aunt in New York called several times and left messages and I called her back and we talked several times…. The relative expressed concern only about Cruz’s bereavement and his depression and also appeared to be checking on whether the Sneads were appropriate housemates, he said. ![]() He said he spoke several times with a woman he thinks was a “distant aunt” of Cruz’s who lives in New York, but nobody else. Snead says nobody from law enforcement contacted him about Cruz until after the shooting. Or, you know, return the phone call and say mind your own business.” And he just doesn’t return any phone calls, which if you’re going to help somebody and you know there’s family involved, at least return the phone calls and talk to them about it. I tried to call him just to find out how Nikolas was and to make sure he understood the problems … he has. Another woman who was taking care of Nikolas, uh, who had already spoken to him tried to call him. “And um, an aunt of his has, had called him. The FBI has admitted the call, from a close friend of the Cruz family who has not been publicly identified, was mishandled and the information she provided was not investigated until after Cruz struck.Īccording to a transcript of that recorded call, the woman also gave the FBI Snead’s name, address and phone number: “I have the man’s name who uh-I-we’ve, the family and I have tried to call this gentleman and he refuses to return any phone calls.” 5 - less than six weeks before the massacre - reported her concerns about Cruz’s gun ownership, his disturbing social media posts and the potential that he might carry out a school shooting. Questions have also been raised publicly about their actions and motivation.Ī woman who called the FBI’s tip line on Jan. They’ve also had to try to defuse encounters with others who want to take them to task and debate the matter with them. On occasions when they’ve been recognized in public, picking up groceries or running errands, some people have muttered “negative things” under their breaths. ![]() Some drivers yell obscenities and insults as they drive by. Stones and beer bottles have been hurled at their home on a quiet road in Parkland. They said he seemed to be doing well there and district officials never gave them any warnings about Cruz’s behavior. They tried to get him re-enrolled at Stoneman Douglas, but officials declined to take him back so they enrolled him at an off-campus learning center, run by the district, at Rock Island Professional Development Center in Oakland Park. They said he was pleasant and followed their house rules. Though their critics don’t believe them, Snead says he and his family saw no warning signs that Cruz would turn violent. They said they’ve been told it would cost them about $20,000 up front - and a lot more down the line - to hire an attorney to defend them against the lawsuits. The Sneads said they rent their home and don’t even have renters’ insurance. The sheriff’s office, school district, FBI and others may be sued later. The Borges suit names the Sneads, the two mental health agencies and the estate of Cruz’s mother. Also named as defendants in the Pollack lawsuit, for now, are former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, the estate of Cruz’s mother, Lynda, and two mental health agencies that may have treated Cruz. The Pollack and Borges families are seeking damages. The lawsuits filed against the Sneads allege they should have known Cruz was mentally ill and posed a threat to others. The Sneads said they knew only that Cruz was depressed by his mother’s death, that he had been involved in fights at school and that he seemed immature and quirky.īut they’ve also been scorned as ludicrously naive or willfully blind for letting their son’s relatively new friend move into their home with his collection of guns, including the AR-15 he used in the slayings. People nationwide have sent them cards and letters, praising them for taking Cruz into their home and commiserating about how it all went horribly wrong. Since the shooting, the family has been commended by some. ![]()
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