A mother from Arizona faces life behind bars after admitting she 'suffocated her children one-by-one.'
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Per a report from People in 2020, Police arrested Rachel Henry, 22, from Phoenix, with three counts of first-degree murder. Henry reportedly killed her son, Zane Henry, 3, and her daughters, Miraya Henry, 1, and Catalaya Rios, who was only 7 months old. In a chilling admission, Henry reportedly sang to her children as she suffocated them.
According to a press release by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Authorities sentenced Henry to 'natural life in prison' on February 4, 2025. She reportedly pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. Henry also pleaded guilty to a Class One felony and dangerous crime against children.
The Attorney's Office provides some insight into what happened in 2020. Phoenix Police reportedly responded to a 911 call from a woman reporting the deaths of three children. The call was from the children's great-aunt.
Prosecutors Explain How The Mother Killed Her Children
Per the press release, Henry admitted to detectives that she had 'suffocated the children one by one' hours before the emergency services arrived. Henry allegedly said that she placed her hand over her 1-year-old daughter's mouth while they were playing, suffocating her to death. Her young son saw what was happening and tried to stop her. Henry attempted to grab the boy but was interrupted when the children's father and great-aunt arrived.
The press release doesn't explain what happened when the adults showed up, but it says she put the boy down for a nap a while later. Henry allegedly took her son to a bedroom and suffocated him while singing a lullaby. Finally, she gave her youngest child a bottle until she fell asleep and placed her hand over her daughter's face until she died. Henry said 'after killing each child, she placed them on a couch so it would appear they were sleeping.'
County Attorney Rachel Mitchell concludes, "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 added, "Thank you to the prosecution team for ensuring justice was served for these three innocent children."
