8-Year-Old Remembered After Tragic Attempt to Protect His Mother

A small community in Illinois is grieving the tragic loss of an eight-year-old boy whose final moments were marked by an attempt to protect his mother during a violent domestic incident. The child, Leland “Lee” Arnett, was only eight years old when the fatal events occurred inside a home in De Soto, Illinois, on May 13, according to court documents.

Authorities reported that police were called to the residence following a domestic disturbance. When officers arrived, they discovered both the child and his mother in critical condition.