A mom in Australia is being investigated for alleged cannibalism after her 4-year-old son was found dead with a mutilated arm.
The 32-year-old woman showed up at a police station in the town of Wyong, north of Sydney, on Saturday, leading police to conduct a welfare check at her house, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
There, the officers found the body of a young boy with significant arm injuries — in a scene so grisly that first-responders need support services, authorities said.
Officers are investigating the possibility of cannibalism in the boy’s death after “discussions” with the mom, the SMH reported.
The child may have been dead for days, Nine News reported.
“I’m prepared to say publicly at the moment, it was an extremely confronting scene. It’s been confirmed the child had injuries. I am not going to speculate further on what those injuries are,” Superintendent Chad Gillies of Tuggerah Lakes Police told a press conference Sunday morning.
The mother, who has not been identified, was arrested at the police station and charged with murder and domestic violence on Sunday.
Cops also seized her car along with other evidence.
Police and emergency services who were at the disturbing scene are receiving support, Gillies said.
“This is a confronting scene for even the most experienced police and ambulance, and that’s why we need to support them,” he said.
The crime has stunned Wyong, a quiet coastal town where neighbors said they had seen no signs of any trouble.
“[The boy] was all happy, seen him walking the dog and walking up and down the street. He was very energetic,” said a neighbor who previously worked on the mom’s car.
“[The boy] goes, ‘Oh, you’re working on mom’s car, has she broken it again?’ He was happy. We couldn’t see signs of anything,” added the neighbor, who didn’t want to be named.
The mom and son had moved into the rental home earlier this year after an alleged domestic-violence incident between the woman and an ex-partner, another neighbor said.
The mom was denied bail after failing to appear in court Sunday.
She is due back in court in Wyong on Sept. 1.