Teenager finds 4-year-old brother stabbed to death, mother injured inside St. Pete home: Police
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A 4-year-old boy is dead, and his mother is hospitalized after police say the child's teenage sister found them inside a St. Pete home when she came home from school on Tuesday.
What we know:
The St. Petersburg Police Department said Finley Cullom, 4, was found by his 16-year-old sister. The mother, identified as Diana Cullom through public records obtained by FOX 13 and her business website, was also found by the teen.
According to police, the teenager also found a knife and a note inside the home.
"It is our belief that the note was left by mom," St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway stated during a press briefing on Tuesday evening.
Police are getting a search warrant for the home, and then they will be able to read what was in that note. Holloway explained that the scene is contained to the home and there is no threat to the community.
"It looks like the mom stabbed the baby, and we are just waiting to find out more," Holloway said.
The mother was taken to Bayfront Hospital, and is in stable condition as of Tuesday evening. Officials said she had stab wounds, but it is unknown if they were self-inflicted.
Holloway added that her injuries appear to be non-life-threatening and police are planning to interview her on Tuesday evening.
Dig deeper:
According to Holloway, the children’s father, who was not home at the time, was notified, and after going to the scene, he went to the police station to talk with investigators.
The chief said police have not been dispatched to the home in the past.
"A lot of these officers, they have kids, and then you have the 16 year old that's coming home from school and finding her brother and her mother. And then you're just having a father come here. So right now in the neighborhood, everybody's heart is heavy," said Holloway.
Police say they are providing victim services and resources to the 16-year-old and responding officers and firefighters.
The incident is under investigation.
The Source: This story was written with information found in a press release from the St. Petersburg Police Department as well as a press briefing that happened Tuesday afternoon.