A Shelbyville mother is facing serious charges in the death of her 13 year old son.  

Shelbyville Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Crews held a press conference on Tuesday describing the tragedy that unfolded late Monday night.  

Patricia Sylvester, 32, is being charged in the murder of her oldest son, Esteban, after his father found him unresponsive.  He immediately called 911 and while Bedford County EMS and Shelbyville Fire Rescue attempted resuscitation efforts, those proved futile and the young child was pronounced dead at Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital.  

According to an SPD arrest warrant, the mother strangled the 13-year-old boy causing his death and tried to strangle her 4 year old son, Rafael, but stopped when the boy began screaming. She continued to strangle him until he became combative. 

The mother and younger son became the center of focus for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and an Endangered Child Alert soon followed. 

Tuesday morning, Sylvester and the younger child arrived back at their Barksdale Lane apartment (Canterbrook Village formerly Bedford Manor) where she was transported to SPD headquarters for questioning.  During the investigation, she admitted to killing one child and attempting to kill the other. 

Sylvester was taken into custody and charged with Criminal Homicide and Attempted Criminal Homicide.  Once released from a local hospital on a mental evaluation, she will be placed in the custody of the Bedford County Jail on a $2 million bond.