TENNESSEE MOTHER WHO 'CUT HER FOUR CHILDREN'S THROATS OPEN WITH A BUTCHERS KNIFE'

Pictured, the Tennessee mother who 'cut her four children's throats open with a butchers knife'
Shanynthia Gardner, 29, of Memphis, was charged with first degree murder
Her four children and blood-soaked butchers knife discovered at her home
All of the children, who were aged under six, were found dead at the scene
Father is being questioned by police but was not at the home during attack
The Memphis police commissioner branded the killing 'an act of pure evil'

By Kalhan Rosenblatt For Dailymail.com

Published: 15:36 EST, 2 July 2016  | Updated: 16:33 EST, 2 July 2016  


Shanynthia Gardner, 29, cut her children's throats open at her home in Memphis, Tennessee, court documents say


The mother who allegedly stabbed four of her five young children to death has been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse and neglect, authorities said Saturday.

Court documents say Shanynthia Gardner, 29, cut their throats open at her home in Memphis, Tennessee.

Sheriff's deputies found a large butchers knife with what appeared to be blood on it at the apartment were the killings took place.

Gardner, of Memphis, was charged with four counts of first degree murder, aggravated child neglect and aggravated child abuse.

Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham says the victims were a 4-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl, a 2-year-old girl and a 6-month-old girl. Their names have not been released.

A 7-year-old boy escaped the attack but Oldham said details of how he survived were not being disclosed at this time. All five children were Gardner's.

'This is a terrible act, an egregious act that has shocked, I believe, the community, and has shocked our staff to the core,' the sheriff said Saturday. He did not release a suspected motive for the attack

Officers in Memphis were called to the gated community at around 12.50pm on Friday where they discovered the four children, sheriff's spokesman Earl Farrell told WREG.

The father was held at the scene by law enforcement, although officials told WSMV that he was not in the home at the time the children were stabbed.

According to relatives, the couple married two years ago.

The Department of Children's Services have confirmed they have no history with the family.






Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham says the victims (two of them pictured) were a 4-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl, a 2-year-old girl and a 6-month-old girl





Sheriff's deputies found a large butchers knife with what appeared to be blood on it at the apartment were the killings took place (pictured, two of Gardner's unnamed children)


Mark Billingsley, police commissioner for Memphis, branded the attack 'an act of pure evil', questioning what would motivate such a crime.

He added: 'We lost four children today on a weekend when we should be celebrating independence. I hope the community will embrace this family.'

Sheriff Bill Oldham said: 'One of the most difficult questions in any investigation always is "why?" It's a tragic scene and one that shocked us to our core.'

Patricia Johnson, who lived near the family and has a child herself, said she 'burst into tears' after hearing what happened to the children.

She added that she did not know the woman personally, but said it was a pleasant neighborhood which does not typically suffer trouble like this.

It is not known who called police, though officers said there were multiple witnesses at the scene of the attack.

Oldham told reporters the investigation is in a very preliminary stage and investigators do not know if the mother had any mental health issues.



Court documents say Shanynthia Gardner cut her four children's throats open at her home in Memphis (pictured, Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham speaks about the fatal stabbings)



Patricia Johnson (pictured), who lived near the family and has a child herself, said she 'burst into tears' after hearing what happened to the children



A mother-of-four has been arrested (pictured) on suspicion of stabbing her four children to death in an upmarket set of apartments in Memphis, Tennessee, this afternoon



Police were called to reports of a stabbing at around 12.50pm before arriving and discovering the children, all of whom are aged less than six years old, dead at the scene



A spokesman for the Sheriff's department said the woman and the children will not be identified until next of kin have been informed, and it is too early to say if she was suffering from mental illness


He added that the children and mother will not be identified until next of kin have been informed.

The Greens at Irene is described online as 'overlooking a beautiful 18-hole golf course' and boasts that residents will enjoy special golfing privileges.

The apartments come with access to a state-of-the-art fitness center, swimming pool, spa and tanning facilities.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3671701/Tennessee-mother-cut-four-children-s-throats-open-butchers-knife-charged-degree-murder.html#ixzz4DIOsMTRw
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