A mother has been charged with murder after her eight-year-old son was found dead inside a home on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

Emergency services were called to a home in Tootgarook and located the boy’s body just after 1.30pm yesterday.

The 41-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and faced an out-of-session court hearing in Melbourne overnight.

She has been charged with one count of murder. She has been remanded in custody and will appear in Melbourne's Magistrates' Court this morning.

9NEWS has confirmed the woman was the mother of the boy. 

Police are investigating whether the boy may have been suffocated. 

Locals said the boy lived at the home with his mother and a man. Police said the man is not a person of interest in the case. 

One neighbour said they had seen the boy playing on the trampoline that sits in the home's front yard. 

"He was always a happy child," the neighbour said.

"We'd wave hello as we were collecting the bins. They'd always say hello back."

Davorka Peraic, who lives two doors down, said a police officer knocked at her door and when she asked what had happened, the officer said: "We can't tell you yet".

"She told the lady over the road 'the boy is dead'. (It's) very sad, very nice (area) quiet usually no trouble."

Ms Peraic said the boy use to play outside.

"Jumping, laughing you know kids when they play."

Just before 8pm yesterday, two women arrived at the home to leave flowers in tribute to the boy.

"We're just paying our respects to a beautiful eight-year-old child," one of the women told 9NEWS.

9NEWS understands the home is on the market to be sold, and was due to be open for inspection this weekend.

Neighbours said the family had been renting the property for about a year.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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