A Arizona woman who confessed to killing her three children five years ago received three consecutive life sentences.
Rachel Henry pleaded guilty to premeditated first-degree murder for the deaths of her children in January 2020, FOX 10 reports,
At her sentencing Friday morning, Henry and the children’s family remained silent, but prosecutor Christopher Sammons from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office noted that the case affected nearly everyone involved, including first responders and court staff.
Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish stated that each victim’s death should be considered individually and sentenced Henry to three consecutive life terms.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, police arrested Henry on felony murder charges after she killed her three children at a home near 24th Street and Vineyard in Phoenix on January 20.
Police arrived at the home after a call about “unknown trouble,” and found the children unresponsive in the living room. First responders attempted life-saving measures on the children without luck. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The children, all under the age of four, have been identified as Zane Ezri Henry, 3, Mireya Henry, 1, and Catalaya Kyeana Rios, 7 months.
Police said Henry confessed in an interview to smothering each victim and positioning their bodies on the living room couch as if they were napping.
“Rachel stated that the one year old female kicked as she did so while the three year old male yelled no at her in an attempt to get her to stop. Rachel knew she had killed the one year old female when she stopped kicking Rachel,” court documents read.
After Henry’s sentencing, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell addressed the media in a statement.
“I’ve dedicated my career to protecting children, and it’s hard to comprehend how any parent could take the life of their own,” she said. “Thank you to the prosecution team for ensuring justice was served for these three innocent children.”
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[Feature Photo via Bridgeport PD]