Mother charged with killing 4 of her kids and their father

Four young children and their father were found slain in a home outside Atlanta early Thursday, and police say the mother — now charged with their deaths — was the one who called 911 to report the killings.

The five were apparently stabbed to death. A fifth child, a 9-year-old girl, survived and was hospitalized with injuries described as serious, police said.

The woman was detained by police after the bodies were found inside the home in Loganville, Gwinnett County police Cpl. Michele Pihera told reporters at the scene. Police later charged 33-yearold Isabel Martinez with five counts of malice murder, five counts of murder and six counts of aggravated assault.

“She was quickly taken into custody and right now she’s at Gwinnett County Police Headquarters being interviewed,” Pihera said. Police have not said whether she was injured but said she was cooperating with investigators, though they were not releasing the motive for the slayings.

“Right now we believe we have everybody involved in this crime,” Pihera said, adding that she does not want people in the community to think that a dangerous person is at large.

Pihera confirmed that the 911 call came from an adult woman who was inside the home. Pihera says police believe the suspect made that call.

Pihera said the caller was speaking Spanish, which initially made it difficult for 911 operators to communicate with her. The county sheriff’s office said Martinez is being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement but didn’t provide further details.

Early indications are that a knife was used to attack the five, though a medical examiner will make the final determination about the cause of death, Pihera said.

The hospitalized girl, Diana Romero, was in serious but stable condition Thursday evening, police said in a brief update on the case.

The four children killed have been identified as Isabela Martinez, 10; Dacota Romero, 7; Dillan Romero, 4; and Axel Romero, 2. Their slain father was Martin Romero, 33, Pihera said.

Psychologists and others who study cases of mothers accused of killing their children say it’s not as uncommon as people might believe. But media coverage often focuses on dramatic cases, such as Andrea Yates who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2001 drowning deaths of her five children.

Other cases get less attention, as when a woman hides or leaves a newborn or in children’s deaths blamed on neglect, said Cheryl Meyer, a professor of psychology at Wright State University in Ohio.