Boy, 6, found stabbed multiple times in burning Peachtree Corners apartment dies

PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga. - Authorities in Gwinnett County are working to learn who left a 6-year-old boy to die after he was found stabbed multiple times in a burning apartment Thursday morning.

GCPD says the call originally came in as an apartment fire around 7:45 a.m. in the 4900 block of Springs Lane in Peachtree Corners.

When the fire department originally arrived, they did not see a fire, but they did hear a fire alarm coming from one of the apartments on the first floor of the building. The fire department made entry and found an unresponsive boy, approximately 6-years-old.

The child, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times, was taken to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in Atlanta where he later died, according to police. 

A woman, who was in wet clothing and only one sock, was found around 9:15 a.m. behind the building and taken into custody, according to police. Police are calling her a "person of interest" at this time. Her relationship to the child is not clear at this time, but police said that it is likely that she is related to the child. 

Investigators have not released the name of the child or the identity of the woman at this time. The motive for the crime remains under investigation.

A woman who lived above the apartment where the boy was found called 911 after seeing smoke creep into her apartment. The woman, who asked not to be identified, says she went door to door alerting neighbors to get out of the building.

"When I saw them bringing the young child out I just said a prayer and hoped everything would be ok," she told FOX 5. "As a mother no matter your circumstances how can you allow that to happen to your child. If it wasn't for black smoke and the rubber smell I would have never paid attention and Lord knows if we had been here because the fire would have shot up through the AC units."

Like so many, she's wondering how anyone could do this to a 6-year-old boy.

"I hope justice is done for that child's soul," she said. 

If you have any information that could help with the case, call the Gwinnett County Police Department at (770) 513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (404) 577.8477.

MAP OF THE AREA

This story is developing. Check back for details. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com.