Teen arrested, accused of killing his mother inside Caledonia home

CALEDONIA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Caledonia police arrested a 15-year-old boy after officers found his mother dead inside a home near Howell Road and Dunkelow Road in Franksville.

Officers responded to a home on E. White Manor Court at about 10:34 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, after receiving a report that a juvenile boy had possibly killed his mother, according to police.

Neighbors who live in the area say the family had a pool in their backyard and children would often play there, which makes the violent death come as a shock.

“I’m devastated, I can’t believe it. They were nice people, nice kids,” said Barb Ott, the family’s next-door neighbor who has lived at her home for 30 years. “They had an above ground pool in the backyard, the kids would go over there, I’d go and sit with the mother when the kids were in the pool and talk. When we were on vacation, she’d water our above ground gardens for us.”

As officers arrived at the home Tuesday night, they encountered the teenager exiting the front door, where he surrendered without incident.

Inside the home, officers found an adult woman dead. Police identified her as the suspect’s mother. Police say lifesaving measures were attempted, but she had already succumbed to her injuries. Police said that a preliminary investigation indicates she had been stabbed and sustained blunt force trauma.

“They’re good people, it shouldn’t happen to good people like that," said Dave Kaluzny, a neighbor. “It’s very surprising, we don't hear about that in this area, not at all.”

In a statement, the communications manager with the Racine Unified School District sent CBS 58 the following statement:

"The RUSD family has been struck by this tragedy. We are grieving the loss of a beloved colleague today and are working to inform our impacted employees and families. We ask for our community’s support and respect for privacy during this profoundly difficult time. Our crisis team has been activated and we are making support resources available to our staff and students."

The 15-year-old is in custody and was arrested on suspicion of homicide.

The investigation is ongoing.