x
Breaking News
More () »

Mom sets car ablaze with 11-year-old son inside

A mother drove to a cemetery, bound her 11-year-old son's wrists, locked him inside a car then set it on fire today, investigators in Monroe County said.

Credit: iStock, Getty Images
Police lights generic, file photo.

A mother drove to a cemetery, bound her 11-year-old son's wrists, locked him inside a car then set it on fire today, investigators in Monroe County said.

It happened this morning at the Roselawn Memorial Park in LaSalle Township, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The 48-year-old mother faces attempted murder and arson charges, officials said. She was taken to a hospital for an evaluation before booked in the Monroe County Jail.

Authorities said they received a call from the woman's husband, a Frenchtown Township man, around 11:30 a.m. reporting his wife may have harmed their son.

When deputies arrived at the cemetery, they saw smoke coming from a 2014 Ford Focus, but the mother and kid were not in the car. Deputies located the two in another part of the cemetery talking to staff there.

According to the release, the mother first started the trunk on fire while the boy was inside.

"The mother later attempted to ignite a fire using gasoline inside the passenger compartment where the boy sat," the release said. "This fire did not ignite while the boy struggled to free himself from the vehicle. The mother then freed the boy from the vehicle and they walked away until locating an employee from the cemetery."

Cemetery staff freed the boy from the bindings.

Detectives are investigating a possible motive and asked anyone with information to call Detective Mike Preadmore at 734-240-7719 or 734-240-7530.

►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WZZM 13 app now.

Have a news tip? Email news@wzzm13.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out