WBRZ - Baton Rouge

West Feliciana Sheriff's Office is investigating the stabbing death of an 8-year-old boy in St. Francisville.

Witnesses told News 2 the boy was riding bikes with his mother along a trail in The Bluffs subdivision. The boy got separated from his mother, and that's when authorities say a 16-year-old boy stabbed the child multiple times in the front and back. Sheriff Austin Daniel said the 8-year-old's throat was also slit.

Witnesses say the mother found her son's body and performed CPR until help arrived. The boy was taken to a local hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The Bluffs' Property Owners Association sent out an e-mail stating the 16-year-old was a resident of the neighborhood. The 8-year-old was said to be visiting someone who lived in The Bluffs. Sheriff Daniel advised the preliminary investigation showed it was an isolated incident, but they dispatched extra patrols as a precaution.

The 16-year old is in custody, and the investigation continues. Anyone with any information related to the incident should contact the Sheriff’s Office at 225-784-3136.