Girl, 4, Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide Attempt

A 4-year-old girl in northwest suburban Bloomingdale died Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide attempt that happened during a domestic dispute, authorities said.

The girl's mother, who was found with what appear to be self-inflicted wounds, is recovering at Adventist Glen Oaks Medical Center in Glendale Heights and is considered a suspect in the death, police said.

Police responded shortly after 1:30 Wednesday afternoon to a call about a domestic situation in a townhouse on the 200 block of Amherst Court in Bloomingdale.

There, they found the two victims. The girl was pronounced at the scene.

"For this to happen to a 4-year-old child, it's just awful," said Kim Piedt, whose children played with the girl.  "She doesn't deserve that.  There's no way she deserved that.  I mean, she had her life ahead of her."

The family is from out-of-state and was, according to neighbors, visiting a grandmother who lives in the townhouse.  The mother was in the midst of a custody battle over the child, one neighbor said.  

A law enforcement source said the family has a history of domestic violence.  

The DuPage County Major Crimes Task Force and Bloomingdale Police Department are investigating.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at (630) 529-9868.