Toddler tried to stop Phoenix mom as she killed her 3 kids: Court document

PHOENIX (KTLA) -- An Arizona mother killed her three young kids by smothering them while one of them yelled and punched her, according to a Maricopa County court document.

Rachel Henry, 22, was arrested Monday on suspicion of killing her 7-month-old and 1-year-old daughters and her 3-year-old son. It was earlier reported the middle child was 2.

At about 7:20 p.m. Monday, officers found all three children dead in their Phoenix home Monday after someone called 911, Phoenix Police said.

“Rachel admitted to smothering each child, starting with the 1-year-old,” a probable cause statement says. Henry told investigators the girl kicked her as she smothered her while the toddler son yelled and punched her to try to stop her, according to the statement.

After the girl was dead, Henry chased the 3-year-old, the statement says, but was interrupted when other adults arrived at the house. One of them played with the boy.

She then took the 3-year-old to a back bedroom and sang to him as she placed her hand over his nose and mouth, the statement says. The boy scratched her chest and pinched her to try to get her to stop, according to the document. Then she fed the 7-month-old a bottle and smothered her while the infant slept, the statement says.

Rachel Henry faces three counts of first-degree murder and made her first court appearance Tuesday, Jan. 21, but did not have an attorney and did not enter a plea. A judge set bond at $3 million and ordered an attorney be appointed for her by the state.

The 911 call came from the home, but police said it's unclear who made the call. At least two other adults were in the home the night the children were killed, police say. It's unclear whether they were all present at the same time.

When officers arrived after 7:20 p.m. Jan. 20, Henry was at the Phoenix home with the children's father and another relative, police said.