A mother screamed 'my child, my child' as her five-year-old son was 'snatched and stabbed to death' before a woman was arrested on suspicion of his murder.
Police discovered Mario Lazarica, five, with serious injuries at a house in Poplar Road, Earlsdon, Coventry at just after 5.55pm yesterday.
Neighbours have described the boy's horrified mother Cristina frantically shouting 'my child, my child, call the police, call the police' as she ran to a nearby Co-Op for help.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services he was confirmed dead at the scene.
A 49-year-old woman who is not Mario's mother was detained on suspicion of murder.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said: 'We heard lots of screaming and shouting and the mother had run into the Co-Op saying her child had been taken.
'She was saying 'my child, my child' and repeatedly saying 'call the police'. She was in a lot of distress as you can imagine. It was nightmarish.
Mario Lazarica, five, was found with serious injuries in Earlsdon, Coventry, yesterday evening
Mario's horrified mother Cristina frantically shouted 'my child, my child, call the police'
'We don't know if the boy was snatched from the home or found at the home, it is still quite confusing but a lot of people are saying he was stabbed, which would just be horrific.
'But police closed the shop so something has gone on there. It is just completely heartbreaking. I'm told they were a foreign family but I don't know where from.
'The police have made the cordon even bigger this morning, they have been knocking our doors and it has just been completely crazy.'
West Midlands Police today confirmed the woman arrested was not the boy's mother, but was known to the family.
Speaking near the scene, Superintendent Ronan Tyrer said: 'I'm here to tell you about an ongoing investigation into the tragic death of a five-year-old child which, understandably,
