SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin police are calling the death of a 2-year-old child an “intentional act.”
The child’s mother, a 27-year-old woman, is in custody awaiting charges.
Police held a news conference Friday morning to give new details on the incident at the home in the 700-block of Woodview Avenue.
On Thursday, officers say they made contact with the woman, who lived in an upper unit of the home.
They say she was armed with a “butcher-type” knife and advanced down the stairs toward officers.
Police say she ignored officer commands to drop the knife and get on the ground.
She eventually dropped the knife, but advanced on the officers a second time. An officer had to deploy a taser twice in order to restrain the woman as she “struggled aggressively.”
A police officer and a Sheboygan County deputy entered the home and found a 2-year-old child not breathing.
The boy was taken to St. Nicholas Hospital and pronounced dead.
The Sheboygan County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy for the official cause of death.
Sheboygan Falls Police say social media rumors about the child being strangled are unconfirmed.
“Contrary to what may have been reported on social media or other venues, we didn’t state specifically that the child was strangled,” police say. “That’s how the original 911 call was sent to the field based upon the direct information communication officers received.”
The child is not being identified until all family members are notified of the death.
Police are not identifying the mother as she has not been officially charged. The District Attorney’s Office says charges could be filed by Monday.
Sheboygan Falls Police say they will not describe the specifics of this case as it remains under investigation.