ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Court TV) — A Florida woman accused of killing her son may face the death penalty if she’s convicted at trial.
Diana Cullom booking photo (St. Petersburg Police Dept.)
Diana Cullom, 44, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her son, 4-year-old Finley Cullom. She has pleaded not guilty.
Police were called on Jan. 28, 2026, to a home in St. Petersburg, where officers say they found Cullom holding the body of her dead son. Cullom was bleeding from self-inflicted stab wounds, police said.
Court documents reviewed by Court TV say that after hearing her Miranda rights, Cullom admitted to detectives that she killed her son by suffocating him with a plastic bag before attempting to take her own life. She allegedly admitted that she began to have thoughts about killing her child the night before, which continued until his death.
Cullom’s defense filed a motion saying they believe the defendant remains in the throes of a mental health crisis. In a motion to determine competency, Cullom’s attorney, Daviana Braniff, said that she does not believe her client understands the charges, allegations, possible penalties, or the legal process, nor does she have the capacity to behave appropriately in court.
Judge Julie Sercus ordered two doctors to examine Cullom and produce reports to the Court within the next 45 days.
As the competency process plays out, prosecutors have filed notice of their intent to seek the death penalty in Cullom’s case. Their motion alleges several aggravating factors, including saying that the crime happened during the commission of aggravated child abuse, the victim was under 12 years old, the homicide was committed in a “cold, calculated and premeditated manner,” and that the crime was committed by a person of familial or custodial authority.
No new court dates have been set in the case.
