Officials: Camden Mom Kills Self After Decapitating 2-Year-Old Son
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New Jersey woman decapitated her 2-year-old son before stabbing herself to death while police were outside her home early Wednesday, authorities said.
Chevonne Thomas, 33, of Camden, called 911 just after midnight to say something had happened to her child, said Jason Laughlin, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
Officers came to the Kaighns Avenue home and found the headless body of Thomas' 2-year-old son, Zahree, on the first floor, Laughlin said.
The boy's head was discovered in the freezer, Laughlin said.
Meanwhile, Thomas was upstairs still talking to the 911 operator when officers backed out of the home because they didn't know if she was armed, Laughlin said.
Thomas then stabbed herself in the neck with a kitchen knife and died, Laughlin told our sister station CBS Philly.
During the 911 call she first accused her boyfriend of stabbing her child, then admitted repeatedly "I did it,'' said Laughlin.
Neighbor Melanie Troutman said she saw Thomas sitting with her boyfriend in front of their Camden home about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Troutman said the woman was "clearly upset'' -- and topless.
She said the boyfriend led Thomas back into the home a short time later.
Authorities said the boyfriend left before the murder-suicide.
Thomas had apparently lost custody of her son in 2010 when she allegedly left the boy unattended in a car. At the time authorities say she admitted having smoked marijuana laced with PCP and blacking out in a park.
She regained custody just five months ago, authorities said.
Court records show Thomas faced dozens of judgments and liens filed in civil court in New Jersey dating back to 2002.
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