ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg mother charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old had her first appearance in court Jan. 28.
The St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) said a mother is in custody after police said a teen found her 4-year-old brother deceased inside a home.
Officers responded to a call at a home on Tanglewood Drive NE on Jan. 27, where they discovered the deceased child, according to SPPD.
Detectives said a teen made the discovery after arriving home from school.
Police identified the four-year-old as Finley Joseph Cullom.
Police Chief Anthony Holloway said preliminary information suggests the mother stabbed and killed her son. On Wednesday morning, SPPD said the medical examiner had examined the body and determined there were no stab wounds on the child. The examiner determined the child had been suffocated.
The 43-year-old mother, Diana Cullom was taken into custody on Jan. 28 on a first-degree murder charge, per the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. Cullom had self-inflicted stab wounds, and there was blood at the scene throughout the house.
According to police report, she admitted to suffocating him with a plastic bag, then trying to commit suicide. She also had thoughts of killing her son the night before and that day, per the report.
Cullom was transported to the hospital for treatment. Her injuries were non life threatening.
WATCH: Teen finds 4-year-old brother dead, mother injured in St. Petersburg home: SPPD
"The young lady also said she found a note in the house, so we believe that the scene is contained within the home. We don't believe there's any danger to anyone in the community," said Chief Anthony Holloway.
Detectives went door to door speaking to neighbors.
"We have never had any calls here at this residence, so we’re just trying to figure out if there is anything else that the neighbors can help us out with this investigation," said Chief Holloway.
Watch report from Julie Salomone
The investigation is still ongoing, but SPPD said a note was found along with the knife. Investigators said the father was not home at the time of the incident.
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