A woman in Australia is being investigated for possible cannibalism after her four-year-old son was found dead with a mutilated arm.
The mother, who has not been identified, walked into a police station in the town of Wyong, north of Sydney, on Saturday, leading police to conduct a welfare check at her house, the New York Post reported, citing the Sydney Morning Herald.
On arrival, officers found the body of the young boy with significant arm injuries and described the scene as so “grisly” that they required support services, authorities said.
Officials added that they are holding “discussions” with the mother and are considering a case of cannibalism as part of the investigation.
The child had reportedly been dead for several days, according to the New York Post, which cited Nine News.
“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 on Sunday morning.
The woman was arrested at the police station and charged with murder and domestic violence on Sunday. Police also seized her car along with other evidence as part of the investigation.
Incident shakes coastal town
The incident has shaken the coastal town of Wyong, where neighbours said they had never witnessed or heard of anything similar.
Officials said police officers and emergency personnel who attended the “disturbing” scene are now receiving support.
“This is a confronting scene for even the most experienced police and ambulance, and that’s why we need to support them,” Gillies said.
Neighbours also described their interactions with the young boy, saying they had never noticed anything unusual.
“[The boy] was all happy, seen him walking the dog and walking up and down the street. He was very energetic,” said a neighbour who previously worked on the mother’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 neighbour, who did not want to be named, according to the New York Post.
Another neighbour said the mother and son had moved into the rental home earlier this year after an alleged domestic violence incident involving the woman and an ex-partner.
The accused was denied bail after failing to appear in court on Sunday. She is due to appear before the court in Wyong again on September 1 as the investigation into the case continues.
