You always want to think that in this ever-changing world that seems to get more and more complicated as the days go by, kids are always going to be safe at home in their parents’ care, but sadly, that is not always the case. One Florida family’s life has been forever changed after a 16-year-old girl apparently came home to find her mother holding her little brother’s dead body. Diana Elizabeth Cullom of St. Petersburg, Florida, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old son, and her daughter’s life — especially the life she knew at home with her family — will never be the same.
On January 27, 2026, 43-year-old Cullom was arrested on suspicion of murdering her 4-year-old son, Finley Cullom, People reported. About 3:30 p.m., police were called to a property off Tanglewood Drive Northeast in St. Petersburg, where they found young Finley Cullom dead from what authorities initially thought were stab wounds.
The police believed the 4-year-old had been stabbed to death because they found a lot of blood at the scene, but the medical examiner determined the young victim died from suffocation, WDBJ reported. The medical examiner later determined that the boy did not have any stab wounds, per Fox 13.
According to authorities, the victim’s teenage sister “found her mother holding her brother in bed” when she arrived home from school, per WDBJ. The St. Petersburg Police Department reported that “there was blood at the scene and throughout the house.” The mother was taken to Bayfront Hospital because she had multiple gashes that were not life-threatening; she was released into police custody the next day. Those gashes turned out to be self-inflicted stab wounds.
An arrest affidavit alleges that Cullom used a plastic bag to suffocate and kill her son, according to WWSB. Authorities also found a knife and a note on the scene, which were believed to have belonged to the mother, People reported.
Diana Cullom made her first appearance in court after the murder charges. Cullom’s husband, Dr. Damian Cullom, and three others “sat in the front row of the courtroom and were all visibly emotional,” according to Fox 13. Damian Cullom, who owns a dental practice called Crescent Lake Family Dentistry in St. Petersburg, held his head in his hands and covered his mouth at times while in the courtroom.
Diana Cullom is being held in jail with no bond, and the judge told her she can no longer have contact with her 16-year-old daughter, Fox 13 reported.
Some people have speculated what the mother’s mental state could have been like for her to commit such an unthinkable act on her little boy. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
If you or someone in your household needs someone to talk to about their mental health, you can call or text 988 for free or chat at 988lifeline.org.
