A mother in Germantown, Maryland along with another woman have been accused of killing two children and attempting to kill two others that they believed they were exorcising demonic spirits from that possessed the children, said police.
The children who died – Norell Harris a 1-year old boy and Zyana Harris a 2-year old girl – were found on Friday in their mother’s room on her bed. Both of the children had multiple stabs wounds.
Taniya Harris, 5 a sister and Martello Harris, 8 a brother, were injured but doctors expected both to survive. Police said that the women had thought they were exorcising the demons from the children although it appears no ritual was followed. A police spokesperson said the women thought something bad was happening to the children and they were trying to release it.
The women were identified by police as Zakieya Avery, the mother who is 28 and Monifa Sanford, 21. Sanford lived with Avery. Each of the women was charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of first-degree murder.
Detectives located two knives they believe were used in the gruesome attacks. One knife is similar in size to a paring knife, while the other was larger, said a police spokesperson.
Avery has received counseling for her mental health. She has moved on two occasions recently from Maryland to Ohio then to Germantown.
One of Avery’s relatives said the woman had separated from her spouse. Posts on Facebook on her personal page suggest she believes in God as well as fears Satan.
Avery’s step grandmother told reporters that Avery appeared to take care of her children and loved them. People who gathered outside the home said a person had to be very sick in order to kill someone they have brought into the world.
One neighbor said that on Thursday night he saw signs there might be trouble. He spotted a child by himself inside a car and promptly called 911.
Before officers arrived, two women exited Avery’s home and told the man to mind his own business. They took the child and went into the house.
When police arrived they knocked at Avery’s house, but no one answered. Nothing suspicious was heard or seen. The police called child welfare who said someone would visit on Friday and then the police left.
The following morning the same neighbor spotted other signs of possible trouble. Police entered the home after being called by the neighbor saying he had found a knife near a car door that was left open.
