ZEBULON, N.C. (WNCN) — A teenager decapitated his mother Monday near Zebulon, the Franklin County Sheriff said.

Oliver Mauricio Funes Machada, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder, Winstead said.

The first deputy on the scene found Funes with his mother’s head in one hand and a large butcher knife in the other.

Deputies ordered Funes to drop his knife, which he did, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Terry Wright said.

Inside the home, deputies found the body of 35-year-old Yesenia Funes Beatriz Machada.

It was Funes who called 911 after the attack, according to Winstead.

The incident took place around 1 p.m. at a home at 90 Morgan Drive in the Pilot community near Zebulon, according to Winstead.

Two young children were at home when the attack happened, while another was at school at the time, the sheriff said.

The victim’s husband was on the scene just before 5 p.m. and was overcome with grief, Winstead told WNCN.

Neighbors were also stunned by the news of the death.

“Complete and utter shock. Pilot, Zebulon this whole area is a quiet area and I didn’t know what to expect when I got home and saw police cars and everything around,” said Ryan Reader, a neighbor.

Wright said the murder is going to be hard on not just the family, but the community as well.

“I think everybody needs to pray for the family. It’s tough for the family, it’s tough for the neighborhood and it’s tough for the community. This is stuff you don’t see in this county and this state every day and it’s going to be a long road for the family to deal with this horrific situation,” he said.

Authorities say all three remaining children are with their father.

“It’s a terrible situation for the family, a terrible situation for the neighborhood and this county. I’m just glad things worked out the way they did and no one else was hurt in taking the suspect into custody,” Winstead said.

Officials say it is still unclear what the motive in the case is. They did say that Funes lived at the home with his family and that they had not responded to any calls to the house in the past and never encountered the teen.

Funes appeared before a judge Tuesday morning. He is being held without bond in the Franklin County Detention Center.