A North Texas woman has been accused of stabbing her husband and their two young children during an early-morning attack at a home in Northlake, near Fort Worth.
Holly Leeann Flores, 37, was arrested on Tuesday, 6 October, and faces two counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The victims — a 34-year-old man, a three-year-old girl and a 10-month-old boy — survived the incident and were taken to hospital. Police said the children suffered serious stab wounds, while the man sustained an injury to his head.
Northlake family stabbing investigation
According to an arrest-warrant affidavit, the man called emergency services at about 4.20am and said his wife was stabbing him. A female voice could reportedly be heard screaming in the background.
Officers arriving at the property on Daylily Drive saw the man walking down the drive with a knife and an apparent head injury. He dropped the weapon when ordered to do so and told police that Flores and the children were still inside.
Officers detained Flores before hearing children screaming from bedrooms at the back of the house. They found the two children lying on a bed, covered in blood and suffering deep puncture wounds to the upper chest. The girl also had wounds to her stomach, the affidavit states.
Medics carried out emergency treatment at the scene before taking the children to hospital. The man was treated for a non-life-threatening injury, according to police.
Flores was also taken to hospital after suffering a small cut to her upper chest. The affidavit alleges that, while being treated, she moved her handcuffs to the front of her body and attempted to reach the keys before an officer restrained her.
She was later released from hospital and booked into Denton County Jail.
Claims of postpartum depression
The affidavit says Flores told paramedics she wanted to kill herself and no longer wanted to live. When questioned by officers, she asked to speak to a lawyer.
Her husband told police that Flores had been experiencing postpartum depression and that her behaviour had recently changed. He said he had been sleeping in the living room so he could remain close to the children.
Police Chief Robert Crawford said officers had been called to the same home about five times since March for welfare checks, although authorities have not disclosed further details about those earlier visits.
The affidavit says the man woke during the night after hearing Flores trying to light a lighter. He went into a bedroom and saw her lighting a candle, with a kitchen knife on a dresser.
After an argument, he returned to the sofa. He later woke after hearing the children crying and said Flores opened the bedroom door holding the knife.
He told investigators that she attacked him and struck his forehead before he managed to take the knife and call 911. The document also records bite marks on his arms, which police said were sustained during the struggle.
The investigation remains ongoing. The allegations against Flores have not been tested in court.
