A mother suffering from mental health issues has appeared in court, accused of killing her three children before trying to end her own life. Despite her heinous crime, her family has shown a lot of support for the murdering mother.
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A welfare check was performed at Patricia Ortiz's apartment. Merced County Sheriff's Deputy Dustin Bender was the first to enter the house. He discovered the horrific scene. Ortiz was laying in her bathtub, with her wrists slit. In their rooms, her three children were also found dead.
Her two daughters lay face to face, having been smothered in their beds. Her son was found in his bedroom, receiving CPR from a neighbor. According to his report, there was blood everywhere. Ortiz had not yet bled out in the bathtub and was arrested.
According to the autopsy, it would have taken around five minutes for the mother smother each of her children. The investigation discovered that one of the daughters had most likely had he hands bound during the process.
It was Ortiz's husband who first discovered the dead children and his suicidal wife. He was seen screaming, and pacing between their home and the local elementary. A neighbour reported, "He said, 'My kids were killed!' so that's when I realized something serious happened there at the house."
Since then, she has been charged with their murder and is now appearing in court.
Murdering Mother Receives Support From Family
Despite her dreadful crimes, Patricia Ortiz's family is still showing their support. As the mother appeared in court, her family was quick to talk to the gathered reporters. Her brother showed his support for her, putting her smothering act down to her ill mental health.
"We want her to see and feel our presence and the love we have for her. We're going to be here to support her always because she deserves it. She's a good person," he told the outlets. If she is found guilty, she will likely spend the rest of her life in prison. Here, at least, she will receive the mental health care she needs and be unable to harm more children.
