A mother has been charged with murder over the death of her son after he was found dead at their Mornington Peninsula home.
The 41-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, frantically called triple zero but the eight-year-old could not be rescuitated when police arrived at the market-listed home on Alma Street in Tootgarook, 80 kms south of Melbourne, on Thursday.
She was arrested at the scene and faced an out-of-session court hearing in Melbourne overnight.
According to 9News, police are now investigating whether the young boy suffocated.
Nearby residents said no commotion was heard at the time of the incident and they couldn’t recall any previous issues at the home.
They also voiced their shock over the incident.
“It’s absolutely tragic, I’ve got a ten-year-old son myself and it scared the hell out of me to hear what had happened,” Tina Wallace told the Herald Sun.
“He was always a happy child,” another neighbour told 9 News.
“We’d wave hello as we were collecting the bins. They’d always say hello back.”
Neighbours said the family had been renting the property for about a year. It is currently on the market to be sold, and was due to be open for inspection this weekend.
