Police: Mom killed 2 kids to save them from evil in world


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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio say a woman told them she fatally shot her two children to save them from the world's evils.

The Dayton Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/2qceUUP) that Dayton police Detective Rod Roberts wrote in court documents that police interviewed Claudena Helton after the May 18 shooting. Her 8-year-old daughter Khmorra and 6-year-old son Kaiden died Sunday at Dayton Children's Hospital.

Roberts wrote that Helton "made admissions to shooting the children to save them from the evils of the world." Authorities have said they think she might have mental health problems.

Police said she shot both children in the head inside their home, then brought them out to the front yard, where first responders found them. Police said they recovered a handgun from the home.

Municipal Court Judge Christopher Roberts set bond Monday at $1 million for Helton in a video arraignment and scheduled a preliminary hearing May 30. Not-guilty pleas were entered for Helton to charges of attempted murder and felonious assault.

The charges likely will be revised later because of the children's deaths after her arrest.

Authorities said an 11-year-old daughter who was home at the time wasn't hurt.

Montgomery County Children Services has said the agency had a case open on the family. It said Friday that the agency is "truly disturbed" by the shootings.

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