PHX Reporter

Rachel Henry has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her three children. The sentencing was announced by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. Henry, born in August 1997, pleaded guilty to three counts of First-Degree Murder, which is classified as a Class One Felony and Dangerous Crime Against Children.

The incident occurred on January 20, 2020, when Phoenix Police received a distress call from a woman reporting that the children were dead in a home near 24th Street and Baseline Road. The call was made by their great aunt.

According to Henry's confession to detectives, she suffocated her children one by one before the emergency call was made. She first placed her hand over her 1-year-old daughter's mouth while they were playing until the child died. Her 3-year-old son witnessed this and attempted to intervene by hitting and yelling at his mother.

Henry then tried to grab her son but was interrupted by the arrival of the children's father and great aunt. Later, she took her son for a nap, sang him a lullaby in a bedroom, and suffocated him as he resisted.

Finally, Henry fed her 7-month-old daughter with a bottle until she fell asleep and then suffocated her. After each act, she placed the children on a couch to make it appear as if they were sleeping.

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed disbelief at the crime: "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 also thanked the prosecution team for ensuring justice for the victims.