It was Friday when police tried to take custody of Cynthia Arce's toddler daughter in Mamaroneck, New York.
But Arce refused to give to 2-year-old Gabriella Boyd to police, who had an order from a judge that the girl's father Stephen Boyd should have temporary custody over her, lawyer Martin Rosen told CBS New York. The officers decided to leave, he said.
“When the police requested the child be given to them, she refused and shut the door,” Rosen, a lawyer for Stephen Boyd, said. “Despite my efforts, they took the position they could not enter the house.”
Gabriella died the next day. According to The Journal News, someone called 911 at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday and said that a toddler there needed medical attention. Officers arrived to the house, they say, and found Gabriella unconscious.
But police say Arce attacked the two officers trying to help her ailing girl. The 28-year-old mother grabbed a knife, police told The Journal News, and slashed one officer on his left hand. The second officer allegedly kicked Arce after he fell to the ground and sustained a foot injury.
A Taser failed to stop Arce, police say, so an officer shot her. Both Arce and Gabriella were rushed to a nearby hospital, according to The New York Daily News. The 2-year-old died and her mom is expected to survive.
The girl's cause of death isn't yet known at this time, The Journal News reported. A GoFundMe page created in honor of Gabriella called her a "beautiful angel on earth."
"While our hearts are broken and still mourning, Gabriella's family are having to go though the difficult steps of laying her to rest; both emotionally and financially," the page read. "As anyone can imagine, this tragedy is nothing a parent ever thinks of or plans for. This GoFundMe campaign is being established for anyone who is looking for a way to help the Boyd family. Donations made will help with Gabriella's funeral and eventually a foundation in her honor."
Sources told CBS New York that Arce — who faces two counts of aggravated attempted murder of a police officer — lives with her mother. Rosen alleged that the 28-year-old has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has tried to kill herself "multiple" times.
That's why Rosen said he's upset that officers refused to take Gabriella from her mother on Friday — a decision that might have saved her life. He argued that he didn't have many options.
“Who was I to call, the Marines? The army? The navy?” Rosen told CBS. “Why not the local police?”
Rosen said that Stephen Boyd is "falling apart at the seams" after his daughter's death. But police told The New York Daily News everything that Rosen said happened "may not be factually accurate."
Mamaroneck police told reporters to ask Village Attorney Robert Spolzino any questions about the crime, and he stayed quiet because of the investigation, according to The Journal News. The newspaper called the police silence "unusual."
George Latimer, the county executive of Westchester County, wrote on Facebook that "the terrible tragedy in Mamaroneck — the loss of the life of a little innocent girl — deserves a thorough investigation in every way."
"Beyond the actions of the mother, we need to know if the system failed little Gabriella, and if so, how," he wrote. "Once we know the details, we can fix what may be broken.
"But even if it protects the future, it will be too late for Gabriella."