A 6-year-old boy is thought to have used a kitchen knife to fatally stab his 2-year-old brother in southwest suburban Joliet Friday evening, Joliet police said.
Officers found the boy with multiple stab wounds just after 5 p.m. in a home on the 2700 block of Fairway Drive, according to a news release from the police department. The child was pronounced dead at Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center, police said.
Police said their investigation so far indicates that the older boy stabbed his little brother with a kitchen knife while in the residence’s family room. The younger boy was discovered by his mother, who then called 911.
The Will County coroner’s office said an autopsy is planned for Saturday, although its policy is not to publicly release victims’ names in a juvenile death investigation.
Officers took the 6-year-old boy into protective custody at the scene and transported him to the Joliet Police Department with family, police said. Custody of the boy was then transferred to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, which arranged for a mental health evaluation at a local hospital, police said.
The children’s family have “fully cooperated” with the investigation, police said in a Saturday statement, adding that the probe remains in its early stages.
“Our community is reeling from this devastating incident as I am unable to come up with a sufficient statement that can adequately express the sorrow and pain we all feel following this heartbreaking event,” said Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans.
“Most importantly, I wish to express our thoughts and deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones that have been deeply impacted by such a tragedy,” he continued. “Your community stands with you in your grief, and we are here to support you in any way we can.”
