BROCKPORT, N.Y. (AP) — A New York community reeling from the brutal killing of a first-grader, allegedly at the hands of his mother, will be saying a final farewell.

A funeral will be held Wednesday evening in Brockport for 7-year-old Abraham Cardenas.

Authorities say Hanane Mouhib used a large kitchen knife to sever her child's head last week at their home in the town of Sweden, just west of Rochester. She has pleaded not guilty.

Mouhib had recently sought mental health assistance and then was released from a hospital.

The Democrat & Chronicle says his teacher, Julia Fagan, remembers Abe as an "incredibly loving and empathetic little boy" with bright eyes and a contagious smile.

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Information from: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, http://www.democratandchronicle.com

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