Khaberni - In a tragic incident, a 16-year-old American teenager returned home after school to find a shocking scene that changed her life forever, where the girl found her mother cradling the body of her younger brother, who was 4 years old.
The incident occurred last Tuesday at the family’s home located on Tanglewood Drive in St. Petersburg, Florida, when the police received a report around 3:30 p.m., and emergency teams rushed to the scene.
Officers arrived to find the child, Finley Joseph Colum, lifeless, with bloodstains scattered on the bed and around the home, while his small body lay in the arms of his mother who was attempting to end her life next to him after committing her act. Initial reports suggested the child might have been stabbed, but a medical examiner later revealed no stab wounds on his body and confirmed that the death was due to strangulation.
In an official context, authorities arrested 43-year-old Diana Colum and charged her with first-degree murder, as investigators found the mother with self-inflicted stab wounds, and transported her to Bayfront Hospital for treatment, where her injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Colum was discharged from the hospital at night, and was led by the police to the detention center early Wednesday morning, while investigators confirmed that the stab wounds suffered by the mother were self-inflicted, according to the "Independent" newspaper.
The Chief of Police in St. Petersburg, during a press conference, announced the seizure of a knife and a written letter inside the dwelling, suggesting that the mother had written those words before the tragedy occurred, while authorities have not yet disclosed the contents of the letter.
The police also clarified that the father of the child was not present at the time of the incident, before being informed later and connecting with investigators. Investigations continued to determine the motives and circumstances that preceded the crime.
