St. Petersburg, FL — A Florida mother has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after her teenage daughter returned home from school and discovered her 4-year-old brother strangled to death, authorities said.
Police identified the suspect as Diana Cullom, 43, who is accused in the death of Finley Joseph Cullom, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
The devastating discovery was made Tuesday afternoon when Cullom’s 16-year-old daughter arrived at the family’s home and found her mother holding the child’s body, police said. The teen, whose name has not been released, immediately alerted authorities.
Police respond to disturbing scene
Officers were called to a residence on Tanglewood Drive NE around 3:30 p.m., where they found the young boy deceased.
Police said there was blood on a bed and throughout the house, prompting an immediate homicide investigation.
Initial reports suggested the child may have been stabbed, but further examination revealed otherwise.
“The medical examiner determined there were no stab wounds on the child,” police said.
“The cause of death was suffocation.”
Mother hospitalized with self-inflicted injuries
Authorities confirmed that Diana Cullom had stab wounds of her own and was transported to Bayfront Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Police later determined those injuries were self-inflicted.
Cullom was released from the hospital overnight and taken into custody early Wednesday morning, where she was formally charged with first-degree murder.
Knife and note found inside home
During a Tuesday press briefing, Anthony Holloway, Chief of Police, confirmed investigators recovered a knife and a handwritten note from inside the residence.
“It is our belief that the note was left by mom,” Holloway said.
The contents of the note have not been made public, and police declined to say whether it indicated motive or intent.
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No prior police calls to the home
Investigators said there was no known history of domestic disturbances or prior 911 calls linked to the residence.
“There is no history of calls for service at the home,” Holloway said. “We’re looking at everything.”
The children’s father was not home at the time of the incident, police said. He was later notified and has since spoken with investigators.
Community shaken by tragedy
Authorities emphasized the emotional toll the case has taken on first responders and the neighborhood, particularly given how the scene was discovered.
“A lot of these officers have kids, and then you have a 16-year-old coming home from school and finding her brother and her mother,” Holloway said. “And then you’re having a father come here. Everybody’s heart is heavy.”
Investigation ongoing
Police say the circumstances leading up to the boy’s death remain under investigation, including what happened in the hours before the teenager arrived home.
Cullom remains in custody as the legal process moves forward. Court records have not yet indicated whether she has entered a plea.
The case has raised renewed concerns about hidden family crises, warning signs, and mental health support, especially when no prior police history exists.
What are your thoughts on how warning signs in family tragedies can be identified before it’s too late? Share your perspective in the comments below.
