A New Hampshire mother and her 2-year-old son were found dead in their home last week after the mom was accused of verbally and physically abusing the tot.
Officers found 25-year-old Mercedes Tremblay and her son, Mason, dead in their Manchester apartment on Dec. 14, police said in a statement.
The medical examiner’s office said Tremblay died from a gunshot wound to the head, and the boy’s cause of death is still pending.
Rhonda Wilkens-Hickey, Tremblay’s mother, had previously accused her daughter of being verbally and physically abusive toward her grandson, which included yelling and pulling the boy by the arm, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported.
Police notified child services in the past, but it’s unclear if the agency investigated Tremblay.
In May, Tremblay was also accused of assaulting Wilkens-Hickey and her boyfriend, who told police that Tremblay was going through “a variety of mental/emotional issues,” the outlet reported.