The Illinois home where a 2-year-old died in a "domestic homicide" this week (WMAQ)
An Illinois mother was hospitalized this week when she allegedly attempted to harm herself after authorities say her 2-year-old son was killed in a "domestic-related homicide" at the family's home. The names of the mother and son have not been released as of Thursday morning.
The toddler was pronounced dead at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox shortly after police responded to the home, according to the Will County Coroner's Office.
Frankfort police were called to the residence in the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court at about 4:04 p.m. on Tuesday for a report of an unresponsive child. Officers found the 2-year-old inside and performed CPR before rushing him to a local hospital.
The child was pronounced dead at 4:48 p.m. The coroner's office said the coroner performed an autopsy Wednesday. The final cause and manner of death will not be determined until the autopsy, police and toxicology reports are completed.
Police also found the boy's mother inside the home where she was allegedly attempting to harm herself, Chicago ABC affiliate WSL reported. She was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The Frankfort Police Department is investigating the case as a domestic-related homicide, with members of the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force assisting investigators.
The investigation left residents of the normally quiet neighborhood shaken as police remained at the home into Tuesday evening. One neighbor compared the incident to the high-profile case of Lindsay Clancy, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility to killing her three children in Massachusetts.
"This is just absolutely devastating, that this could be another Lindsay Clancy situation in our neighborhood, in our community," Carolyn Pappas, who lives nearby, told NBC Chicago affiliate WMAQ. "You never think it's going to hit so close to home," she said. "And so yeah, that absolutely makes us think of that. And again, just more people I think are struggling than we realize and so we just need to be there for one another."
Pappas said the incident was a reminder that people may be dealing with issues that those around them never see.
"Someone could be suffering potentially so badly next door and we don't know that," she said.
She urged residents to look out for one another in the wake of the 2-year-old's death.
Police have not released additional details about what led to the boy's death, but emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities are urging anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the Frankfort Police Department at 815-469-9435.
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