KAPLAN, La. (KLFY) – A Kaplan woman and her live-in boyfriend are behind bars in connection with the death of her 4-year-old son and right now so many unanswered questions remain in the investigation.

“You don’t expect things like this in such a small town like Kaplan. I mean it’s so sad. It’s very sad,” said Kaplan resident, Stefanie Gaston.

According to Kaplan Police Chief, Boyd Adams, 24-year-old Samantha Babineaux and 23-year-old Nathaniel Trahan brought the child to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

Due to his severe injuries, the child was then airlifted to a Lafayette hospital where he passed away on Thursday morning.

“It was a complete shock to all of us. We didn’t even know what to think, or what to say, it’s devastating,” said Gaston.

Gaston lives just right across the street from the family’s home on W. 9th St. and says the family has only been living in the neighborhood for a few weeks.

“I didn’t see them a whole lot, but they were very quiet neighbors,” said Gaston.

Gaston says she never noticed anything out of the ordinary.

“To know that this is happening across the street from my house, and we didn’t even hear or see anything is just very upsetting. It’s very upsetting,” said Gaston.

As of Thursday morning charges against the mother and her boyfriend have been upgraded to first-degree murder.

“I feel for the entire family, for everybody,” said Gaston.

Chief Adams says they can’t release specific details into what exactly happened to the 4-year-old boy because it is an open investigation.

A vigil is being held for the child Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kaplan City Hall.