LENOIR CITY, Tenn. — An autopsy report from the District Attorney General's office shows a 3-year-old Lenoir City boy died from multiple sharp and blunt force wounds after authorities suspected his mother murdered him in March.
The report said strangulation was considered to be a significant contributing factor in the child's death, calling it a homicide. They also said the boy's wrists were bound together with an electrical cord when he died.
The Lenoir City Police Department said they believe Melani Sue Brown, 38, killed her 3-year-old son, King, and then later died in the hospital from self-inflicted injuries. Police said she stabbed herself with the same knife used to kill her son on March 11.
Before she died at UT Medical Center on March 17, a grand jury in Loudon County indicted her for multiple charges, including premeditated first degree murder, felony murder by aggravated child abuse, felony murder by aggravated child neglect, aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect.
According to police, Melani Brown's mother came to her apartment in the middle of the night on March 11 because she was concerned about her daughter and grandson's welfare. When she arrived, she found the little boy bleeding and unconscious.
She called 911 and began performing CPR, and she told investigators that Brown started stabbing herself. When medical crews arrived, both Brown and her son were unconscious.
"As her mother was questioning her about where her son was at, she got very concerned and drove over to the apartment complex," said Chief White.
When the grandmother arrived, she found Brown in the parking lot and said the two walked inside together, and that's when she found her grandson, King Brown, unconscious on the floor and called 911. The grandmother started CPR at the direction of the 911 dispatcher.
While her mother was trying to save King, White said Brown started stabbing herself.
By the time authorities arrived, she was unresponsive.
First responders arrived and pronounced the boy dead and transported Melani Brown to the hospital.
Chief White said they believe the mother cut the boy with a large kitchen knife.
Neighbors told 10News in March King was well known in the apartment complex and was often out on his own.
"He was always out. I mean always running, playing, like I said, was telling you he loved his action figures, his Captain America," said neighbor Mike Helton.
Helton said he was a rowdy little guy, but it was obvious that he was seeking some attention.
"He came over to my son's birthday party and you know had cake and Ice cream and just had a blast. You know, he was just, he wanted to be fit in, loved," said Helton.
Neighbor Nathan Rose told 10News that his son and daughter used to play with King.
"Me and my wife has been crying a little bit this morning. Not something you expect to hear or wake up to," he said.
King would have been four in April.