An Illinois woman was accused of stabbing her three young children in their home, and one of the children told hospital staff that their mother was allegedly attempting to “make them go to heaven.”
Aurionah-Rakii-Karie Parker-White, 23, was charged with three counts of attempted murder and three counts of aggravated battery to a child after a tow truck driver discovered her and her three children — aged one, three, and five — outside their Chicago apartment. According to courtroom reports by WMAQ, a local NBC affiliate, prosecutors said on Saturday that Parker-White’s 1-year-old daughter was discovered by a tow truck driver on Wednesday wearing nothing but a bloodied diaper.
According to court documents obtained by local Fox affiliate WILD, the driver, 50-year-old DeVaughen Stringfellow, then noticed Parker-White leaving the house with another of her children, who was also covered in blood. Stringfellow rushed a family of four to a nearby hospital.
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Stringfellow told local CBS affiliate WBBM about his encounter with Parker-White, saying, “She kept screaming, like, ‘I need help!'” Help me! My baby! I called the police! They did not come! So, at first, I wasn’t going to put them in the truck with the blood — but I did.
Police said all three children had wrist wounds and were taken to the hospital in serious condition on Wednesday. When they arrived at the scene, there was reportedly a trail of blood leading from the apartment to the street.
According to prosecutors, Parker-White allegedly told several law enforcement officers that she stabbed her children and was aware that her actions were wrong. Her apparent motive for the alleged attack was the stress of being responsible for the children alone. According to WMAQ, a nurse and a hospital security guard told police that Parker-White allegedly “did it because she had no help.”
According to WMAQ, Parker-White’s 5-year-old son tried to console his mother after the alleged attack, telling her “it’s gonna be alright” and not to cry.
The same little boy allegedly told hospital staff that his mother “was going to make them go to heaven,” according to prosecutors.
Parker-White allegedly told police that, in addition to attempting to kill her children, she intended to commit suicide.
After Parker-White’s court appearance on Saturday, a judge ordered that she be held in Cook County Jail until her trial. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 6.
