Gwinnett County mother Isabel Martinez was charged with multiple counts of murder in the stabbing deaths of four of her children and their father, law enforcement said.
Update: Gwinnett County mom makes first court appearance
Late Thursday police identified the victims.
The father was Martin Romero, age 33.
The four siblings killed were 2-year-old Axel, 4-year-old Dillan, 7-year-old Dacota and 10-year-old Isabela Martinez
Nine-year-old Diana Romero was also stabbed and flown by helicopter to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
She is expected to remain hospitalized for another two to three weeks, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a relative of Martin Romero.
Credit: HANDOUT
Credit: HANDOUT
Martinez was detained Thursday morning after calling 911 at 4:47 a.m. from inside the Emory Lane home, located in unincorporated Loganville, a suburban area north of Atlanta. Authorities found the four children and their father were found stabbed to death.
PHOTOS: Children, father stabbed to death in Loganville
Martinez was charged Thursday with five counts of malice murder, five counts of murder and six counts of aggravated assault. She was being held at the Gwinnett County jail.
She has also been put on an immigration hold.
The stabbings reportedly occurred between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Thursday, according to arrest warrants obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The woman is the “primary suspect,” and police are “not searching for anyone else,” Gwinnett police Cpl. Deon Washington said earlier in the day.
Credit: Gwinnett Sheriff's Office
Credit: Gwinnett Sheriff's Office
The mother spoke Spanish and the language barrier initially made it difficult to communicate, the spokeswoman said. “This is a very tight knit neighborhood. They all know each other,” Pihera said.
“What prompts a person to take the life of such innocent children and her spouse is something we may never understand,” Gwinnett police said in an emailed statement. “This is a horrendous crime not only for the victims but for the extended family, neighborhood and community. We are hoping and praying that the remaining victim survives his/her injuries and makes a full recovery.”
Read more on the slayings at myajc.com
