A 35-year-old woman shot her baby and then killed herself in a murder-suicide Sunday morning, police said.
Police said that at 9:45 a.m., the child's father returned to the family's home on the 4000 block of Old Bradenton Road in Sarasota and heard shots fired. He called 911, and police and emergency personnel were dispatched.
Officers found the mother, Sarah Harnish, dead and 17-month-old Josephine Boice seriously wounded. The child was taken to All Children's Hospital, where she later died, police said.
The news brought neighbors to tears.
"I just don't understand what could have driven her to do it," said neighbor Dinie Hens.
Detectives are working to try to figure out a motive.
"It’s sad to think that someone could take their own life and their child's. The child could have been taken care of by someone else," said neighbor Kari Kizman.
Little is known at this time about what could have led up to the incident, still some residents in the neighborhood are wondering if they could have made a difference.
"There is help out there for people that need the help, and just ask…people will help," said Kizman. “I pray for the family. For everyone that's involved."
The neighbors said they weren't very close to the family however one woman who lives right next door said Harnish didn't appear happy in recent days.