By Marlene LenthangNBC
News
At least three children, including a 9-month-old baby, were killed after their mother tried to stab her seven children to death in a burning house, Georgia authorities said.
The woman, identified as Darlene Brister, 40, is being held without bail.
Her husband, Ricky Brister, claimed that his wife has mental health problems, according to WXIA, the Atlanta affiliate of NBC News.
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office said Sunday it received an alert call Friday at 9:19 p.m. for a domestic incident and house fire in Rockmart, about 50 miles northwest of Atlanta.
According to this notice, a woman inside the house was trying to stab other people.
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Police officers and firefighters arrived at the scene, rescued the occupants inside the house and extinguished the flames.
There were seven minors in the house, according to the police statement.
A 3-year-old boy and a 9-month-old baby were pronounced dead on the spot with "multiple apparent stab wounds."
Three other minors aged 5, 9 and 11 were taken to hospitals;
the first of them died hours later.
The 9-year-old is critical.
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Two other rescued youths, aged 14 and 16, did not appear to have been injured, according to the police statement.
The mother, who was also rescued from inside the burning house, remains in custody at the Paulding County Detention Center, charged with at least two counts of felony murder.
Neighbors said some children jumped out of a second-story window to escape the fire, according to WXIA.
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Edward Springer, who lives across the street, said the family had lived there for years and had never witnessed any altercations.
"They would stay by themselves, the kids would go out and play," he explained to WXIA, "they were very nice, very respectful, I just don't get it."
