WRAL TV5'sAmanda Lambspent time withsome of Sharon Bradshaw's family members. Lamb was told that about 10 daysago, relatives alerted Cumberland County mental health representativesthat Bradshaw was having some problems. Monday, the day of the crime,Bradshaw's mother visited Bradshaw's probation officer that Bradshawneeded help. Bradshaw has been on probation for several years following anarson incident.
Later the same day, Bradshaw's other two children called theirgrandmother to say their mother needed help, but despite these repeatedattempts to intervene, deputies arrived at Bradshaw's mobile home Mondayto find her youngest son dead.
Bradshaw was taken to Dorothea Dix Hospital Tuesday for a mental healthevaluation. Since she was found bloody and wandering on a dirt roadMonday night, she has appeared disoriented and detached from hersurroundings. Investigators say there's a good reason for that.
Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler said a deputy entered thetrailer, looked around and entered the bathroom, where he discovered the3-year-old's body.
Family members began answering detectives' questions at noon Tuesdayand continued throughout the afternoon.
Detectives say they are weary at the prospect of having to investigateyet another murder of a child. Cumberland County deputies had todeal with another, similar, case less than a week ago.
Butler says it's been a rough week in his office.
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A spokesperson for the probation office says they tried to contactBradshaw, but she hung up on them. They then consulted with the mentalhealth department, which said her family would have to have Bradshawcommitted if that was what was necessary.
A relative who was caring for Bradshaw's two surviving children toldLamb Tuesday that the woman was unable to take care of herself. She shouldnot, he said, have been taking care of her children.
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