Woman dead, son charged in Ottawa's 11th homicide of 2017

Awoman is dead and her son has been charged with second-degree murder in Ottawa's eleventh homicide of 2017.

Rachelle Mair was found dead inside a Sandy Hill apartment complex at around 5:30 a.m. Friday, after police were called to the highriseat 85 Range Rd. near Templeton Street to deal with a disturbance.

When officers arrivedthey found a man in distress in a hallway, said Ottawa policeConst. MarcSoucy.The man then led officers to aroom where Mair's body was found.

The man was later arrested, police said.

Steven Mair appeared in an Ottawa court Friday afternoon and was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his mother, said his lawyer, Jenny McKnight.

McKnight said Steven Mair was in his early 30s.

"It'sall unbelievable. He's not doing well, I can put it that way," McKnightsaid.

'Traumatic injuries'

The distressed man was taken to hospital in stable condition, paramedics said Friday morning.

A neighbour told CBC News that hewas almost naked and was yelling and screaming as he was loaded onto a stretcher and taken into the ambulance.

Paramedics said the woman had suffered "traumatic injuries" andwas pronounced dead at the scene.

Police initially said thedeath was suspicious before confirming Friday afternoon they were treating the caseas a homicide.

A doctor with the coroner's office and a forensic pathologist were also on the scene Friday.

The investigation continues.

View a map of the scene here.