Two small children died of stab wounds after their mother was taken into custody for observation Saturday night in the Bronx, police said.

A 3-year-old boy and an 11-month-old boy were found in a Mount Hope apartment with multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso and did not survive after being transported to a hospital.

The 22-year-old mother of the children, Deshawn and Octavious, had been taken into custody after police got a call around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday that the mother was trying to burn items in the kitchen area.

She was taken into custody without incident until the arrival of an ambulance, which transported her to St. Barnabas Hospital for evaluation at about 7:50 p.m. Before leaving for the hospital, officers were told by a family friend that the children were with their father, Deputy Chief Louis De Ceglie of Patrol Borough Bronx said.

Neighbors said they heard the father yelling for help during that time.

A 911 call at 7:55 p.m. for the same location reported two children were not breathing. He said officers returned to the apartment and found the boys with multiple stab wounds.

De Ceglie said officers and a family member tried to resuscitate the children while they waited for an ambulance, which took them to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center where the children died.

The father of the two children, Columbus Canada, was surrounded by the community on Echo Place as he dealt with the loss of his children. 

Candles were lit during a memorial Sunday night for Dashawn and Octavious.

Those who knew the mother of the children said they did not notice any signs of odd behavior.

The grandfather of the children set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the funeral expenses. 

(AP wires contributed to this report.)