St. Petersburg Mother Charged With First-Degree Murder After 4-Year-Old Found Dead

Diana Elizabeth Cullom, 43, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder after authorities found her 4-year-old son dead inside a home on the 1700 block of Tanglewood Drive NE in St. Petersburg. The discovery followed a call to police after a 16-year-old daughter returned from school and found the scene about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27.

St. Petersburg Police reported significant blood at the residence. As the department posted on its Facebook page, “There was blood at the scene and throughout the house.” The teenager who found the scene also located a knife and a note inside the home. Police Chief Anthony Holloway told reporters, “It is our belief that the note was left by mom.” Investigators have not released the note’s contents.

Initial media and field accounts described a possible stabbing, and Cullom was treated at Bayfront Hospital for multiple self-inflicted cuts before being released. The medical examiner later determined the child did not have stab wounds and ruled the cause of death to be suffocation. Authorities allege the suffocation was carried out with a plastic bag.

Cullom was arrested early Wednesday, January 28, and booked in the Pinellas County Jail on a first-degree murder charge. Online booking records and court filings show she is being held without bond. Defense attorney Kevin Hayslett appeared at the first court hearing and had “no comment.” FOX13 reported that the judge told an “expressionless Cullom, who stood with her arms folded in court, that she’ll stay in jail under no bond. He also said she can’t have any contact with her 16-year-old daughter.”

Boston25 identified the child as Finley Joseph Cullom, age 4; other outlets did not publish the name. The child’s father was not home at the time of the incident. Investigators have not released a motive, and police declined to provide additional forensic details pending ongoing inquiry.

For neighbors, parents, and school communities, the case underscores the importance of clear channels for reporting welfare concerns and supporting young people who may be affected by trauma. The 16-year-old who discovered the scene will likely be eligible for victim-witness services; community members should expect outreach from St. Petersburg Police or Pinellas County victim services for those needing support.

Next steps in the case include a full medical examiner’s report, release of charging affidavits or arrest documents, and further court proceedings that will clarify the evidence and timeline. Local authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact St. Petersburg Police. The neighborhood and school community will be watching for updates as prosecutors prepare the case and investigators follow forensic leads.