‘Cannibal’ mum’s family breaks silence after she ‘cooked and ate 4-year-old son’

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: A 32-year-old Australian woman has been arrested after she allegedly confessed to murdering and eating her four-year-old son, with her family breaking their silence

A horrifying investigation has been launched after a mother allegedly admitted to killing and cooking her four-year-old son. The 32-year-old woman handed herself in at a Wyong police station in in Australia, leading shocked officers to the child’s remains.

Police are now probing disturbing allegations that she ate portions of the youngster’s body, sparking urgent forensic examination of the suspect’s mouth and fingernails. Breaking his silence following the tragedy, the suspect’s brother disclosed the family is wracked with guilt and wondering why they failed to step in.

“They thought maybe they should have done something more,” he said, referring to his father and older brother. “We should have been closer to her, I guess. And we should have gone and helped her, but this is nothing we could have expected.“, reports the Mirror US.

The brother mentioned that he messaged his sister just days before her arrest.

“She seemed okay, just usual stuff,” he said. He portrayed her as a “lovely” girl during childhood who developed serious issues as she matured.

The family has directed heavy criticism towards child welfare services for permitting the boy to stay in her custody.

The suspect had a background of substance abuse, criminal convictions, and such a turbulent past that her own mother had previously secured a protective court order against her.

“My dad and brother didn’t think [her son] should have been given back to her after she last got out of rehab,” the brother stated. Social services had visited the family three times over concerns of potential neglect and substance misuse.

New South Wales Minister for Families and Communities, Kate Washington, confirmed that the agency’s last interaction with the family was 18 months ago.

Five months prior, drug counsellors and welfare officials moved the mother and son to a housing complex in Wyong, where they had sought refuge from domestic violence.

Police suspect the child had been dead for several days before his body was found on Saturday. The boy’s remains exhibited significant arm injuries.

The accused mother was refused bail on Sunday after failing to appear in court. Due to stringent legal restrictions related to the ongoing criminal case, the identities of both the mother and the victim are currently being kept confidential.

An independent review has been initiated to assess the actions of child protection authorities.