ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. — A case in which a mother and her boyfriend have been charged with murder following the death of an 8-year-old boy has shaken up the north suburban community of Round Lake Beach.

A memorial is growing outside the townhome where the family lived, with stuffed animals, candles and flowers left to honor the boy who died there, who has now been identified by the Lake County Coroner’s Office as Markell Pierce.

Round Lake Beach police say they were called to the home in the 1900 block of Cedar Lake Road around 2 p.m. Friday for reports of an unresponsive child. Officers and paramedics performed CPR on the boy, since identified as Pierce, and rushed him to Condell Medical Center in nearby Libertyville. He was pronounced dead there.

Investigators say first responders noticed that Pierce showed signs of malnourishment and had bruising on his body. The coroner’s office said Monday that while evidence of injuries and malnourishment was noted, preliminary results are pending further lab and forensic testing.

Prosecutors say Pierce was placed on a liquid diet and not given any food for at least 48 hours before his death. Investigators say the boy showed signs of malnourishment and had bruising on his body. He was also forced to hold weights above his head as punishment. There is allegedly cell phone footage of some of the abuse, authorities say.

On Friday night, police arrested the boy’s mother, 33-year-old Dominique Servant, and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Joey Ruffin. They’ve each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of child endangerment causing death. The two are being held in the Lake County Jail until their next court appearance on March 3.

“The loss of Markell Pierce is devastating,” Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said in a news release Monday. “No child should suffer at the hands of those entrusted with their care. We are reminded of our shared responsibility to look out for the most vulnerable among us.”

Two of the Pierce’s siblings, a 10-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, were taken into protective custody. Police say the 10-year-old girl also showed signs of abuse and was taken to the hospital.

Neighbors, meanwhile, say they believe the children were homeschooled, and others who live in the community say they’re coming to the home now to honor Pierce.

“Parents are supposed to be your safe people, your family,” Round Lake Beach resident Jessica Torres said Monday. “For any parent to (allegedly) do that to their kid is just horrible.”

WGN-TV also spoke to Sarahy Saldana, a co-worker of Servant’s who expressed total shock over what allegedly happened at the home.

“I’m just in shock,” Saldana said. “I have no words. My mind is just blank. I don’t know what to think. It’s just crazy. Nobody thought that something was going (to happen), because she was really sweet. I invited her to my son’s birthday. I never knew something was going on, never. This really breaks my heart.”

In court, prosecutors said Servant took Pierce and his sister out of public school because “she was tired of having DCFS called on her.”

In a statement to WGN-TV on Monday, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said the following:

“The death of a child is profoundly heartbreaking, especially when the alleged perpetrators are the ones that are supposed to protect and care for the child. This family was not receiving services from DCFS, and the department is actively working with Round Lake law enforcement to investigate the circumstances around this child’s death. Illinois law restricts the information DCFS can share about child abuse and neglect investigations, and we are unable to provide further comment about the specifics of this case at this time.”

Round Lake Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez also issued the following lengthy statement to the community, saying in part:

“Our community is grieving.

“The tragic loss of an 8-year-old child has shaken us to our core. There are simply no words that can fully capture the heartbreak we feel as parents, neighbors, friends, and as a police department. When a precious child is taken from us in such a way, it is natural to feel anger. It is natural to feel confusion. It is natural to ask why.

“I share in that grief. In moments like this, we must come together, not apart. We must support one another.

“During difficult times such as these, I personally lean on my faith and pray for strength, understanding, and comfort. I also recognize that Round Lake Beach is a community made up of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. Each of us seeks peace and healing in our own way. I encourage everyone to find that source of peace, whether through faith, family, reflection, or community support, and to hold tightly to it in the days ahead.

“There are two groups I consider our most precious and most vulnerable: our children and our seniors. They represent both our future and our foundation. As a department, we go to great lengths to engage with, protect, and support these members of our community. We invest in programs, outreach, education, and visibility because safeguarding them is not just part of our job — it is our calling.

“I am grateful to all of those who rushed to the scene and who continue to work tirelessly to ensure a thorough and meticulous investigation to result in the fullest prosecution under the law as possible.

“… Above all, let us honor this young life by recommitting ourselves to unity, protection, purpose, and love for one another. … The men and women of the Round Lake Beach Police Department stand with you as fellow members of this grieving community. May we find peace. May we find strength. And may we never lose sight of what matters most.”