A woman's death is under investigation after she died while in State Police custody Tuesday night. Authorities said the incident began with reports of a woman assaulting her three-year-old child. It was when they stepped in that they realized she may be on drugs. Our Brad Vivacqua has more on the ongoing investigation.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

MADISON COUNTY, N.Y. -- State Police said they believe a woman was high on bath salts when she died while in their custody Tuesday night. Troopers were called to a home on North Main Street in the Village of Munnsville around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday following numerous reports that a woman was assaulting her three-year-old child.

Troopers said when they got there, Pamela McCarthy, 35, was acting violently and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Officers struggled to take McCarthy into custody, and when pepper spray didn't work, they used a Taser to control her.

Troopers say McCarthy soon after went into apparent cardiac arrest and died at a nearby hospital. An autopsy is set for later today to determine the exact cause of death.

The three-year-old child was treated at Upstate University Hospital for minor injuries and has been released to family members.