BALTIMORE (WJZ) — An East Baltimore mother does the unthinkable. Police say she murdered her own 2-year-old boy and then apparently tried to take her own life.

Derek Valcourt has details and reactions from stunned neighbors.

According to family members and some neighbors, the 32-year-old mother was having some mental health problems, but no one saw this coming.

It was a horrific bloody scene inside this home at 1437 Broening Highway.

Police will only say they found a 2-year-old boy dead from a severe laceration. His 32-year-old mother was rushed to the hospital with an apparent self-inflicted cut throat.

The woman’s sister and brother-in-law told WJZ the little boy was their nephew named Paris, killed by his own mother who was staying in their house. They say she had been having mental health problems.

Heartbroken neighbor Jim Pope offered condolences to the family. He still can’t believe what happened.

“If you was to watch her outside with that child you would think that she was the perfect mother,” said Pope.

From his porch next door, he and his wife saw the mother in the yard playing with her son almost every day.

“I never seen her get out of hand with that child outside. She just pushed that child around in his little cart, played with him and talked to him, and kept an eye on him like she was very conscious of him,” Pope said.

Other neighbors are also in shock from the news.

“That’s horrible. That’s really horrible,” said Theresa Trotta.

“First thing that goes through my mind is my own kids. I just can’t imagine a parent killing their child,” said Theo Burris.

Many are praying for the little boy and for the family members left grieving at the holidays.

“It’s something that’s going to stay with them forever now, you know? I mean, how do you go back into that house, and then, you know you’re going to relive this over and over again? You know, it’s just a terrible, terrible thing that happened,” said Joyce Pisani.

According to police, that 32-year-old mother is still in the hospital. Her son’s body has been taken for an autopsy. So far no charges have been filed.

Police have not yet released the names of the victim or his mother.