Inkster 3-year-old's body found with stab wounds, sources say mother had mental health challenges

INKSTER, Mich. (FOX 2) - Tragedy struck Inkster as police found the body of a 3-year-old boy in this home on Lehigh Street Wednesday.

Relatives tell FOX 2 that his name was Zion. The boy's mother is now in police custody and the child was found with stab wounds.

"She was a good person at heart. I don't think this was intentional, personally," said Eric Graham, a family member. "And I'm hoping and praying it wasn't."

Graham is Zion's great uncle and the young boy's mother is his niece. Relatives had not been able to get in contact with her for days prompting them to go to her house Wednesday where they called police after a chilling find.

"Upon arrival police officers discovered a 3-year-old suffering from what appears to be some stab wounds," said Inkster Assistant Police Chief Bill Ratliff. "Family members had indicated the mother is unaccounted for."

Hours would pass before she was taken into police custody. Inkster PD says the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team caught up with her early Wednesday evening.

Investigators are calling her a person of interest in Zion's murder. 

"He was a beautiful child," Graham said. "He was very loved. He had a beautiful smile." 

Sources tell FOX 2 the boy's mother struggled with mental health challenges.

"There were some issues going on with her," Graham said. "As far as what they were, I can't really speculate on that. I don't know personally what they were, because she was so withdrawn from the family."

It does not appear there were any allegations of abuse. Police said it had made runs to the residence before but added there was no indication something like this would happen, even though it will not divulge what sparked previous visits.