Police say they arrested a woman in Arizona who allegedly killed her two children at their Phoenix apartment with a meat cleaver and claimed she was “hearing voices telling her to kill her kids,” numerous sources reported.
Yui Inoue, 40, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Tempe Police announced Sunday on Twitter.
The suspect in yesterday’s double homicide of two young children has been identified as their mother, Yui Inoue. She has been charged with two counts of first degree murder. We grieve for the family and all responders dealing with the emotional trauma of this tragic incident. pic.twitter.com/LZFUXuFX8J
— Tempe Police (@TempePolice) May 16, 2021
Inoue told police she went to bed Saturday and woke up early in the morning with blood covering her hands, AZ Central reported. She also allegedly said she saw her two children dead near the doorway of the bedroom, and didn’t believe she killed her children, according to The Associated Press (AP).
During her first court appearance Monday, Inoue said she “did not kill anybody,” a Japanese interpreter told the Maricopa County Superior Court commissioner, according to the AP.
Police said officers responded to a “domestic dispute” at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday between a married couple at the apartment, and the husband and wife were separated, according to AZ Central. Officers also reportedly noted that the two children were safe in their beds before leaving the residence, and, according to The AP, police said they did not see a reason to call child welfare authorities at the time.
Inoue’s husband allegedly left the apartment around the same time police said officers responded to the “domestic dispute” call, he told police. He said Inoue had threatened to stab him following an argument about money for her upcoming move to Japan, AZ Central reported. (RELATED: Mom Admits To Drowning Her Three Kids ‘Softly’ While Apologizing To Them)
When police arrived at the residence, they found the bodies of two children, a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, under a blanket and boxes, according to the AP. “There were significant injuries to their bodies including numerous lacerations, incised wounds and some amputations, consistent with a violent attack and defensive wounds,” Sgt. Steven Carbajal, a Tempe police spokesman, said, according to the AP.
Inoue had blood on her body and blood stains in her vehicle when police detained her, according to the AP. Police also said a search of her car turned up a meat cleaver with a 6-inch blade inside a bag that contained blood-stained clothing, according to the AP.
“There were several pieces of information/evidence that led detectives to believe that the cleaver was the weapon used during this incident,” Carbajal said, according to the AP.
Inoue allegedly told police she couldn’t remember what had happened and that she was “hearing voices telling her to kill her kids,” Carbajal said, according to AZ Central.
The husband told police he did not have any concerns about Inoue harming the children, and that he spent the night sleeping in his car, AZ Cental reported.
Neighbors told AZ Central that they heard “pounding” noises and the water running in a tub early in the morning.
“It sounded like somebody may have been pounding or running around,” Tina Sohl told AZ Central. “I just heard some really hard — what sounded like could’ve been pounding … and I thought I heard a child crying at some point.”
Following up on a horrible story out of Tempe — mom Yui Inoue is accused of killing her kids Mia & Kai Sat morning at their home. She’s charged w/ first degree murder. We learned this afternoon her kids were students at Kyrene Del Cielo Elementary school. @12News #12News pic.twitter.com/WFrs5U95oZ
— Erica Stapleton (@EricaReportsAll) May 17, 2021
The two children were reportedly students at Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School. The school said it would provide counselors to students, parents, and staff following the deaths of the two children.
“Moments like this remind us that life is precious and too often fleeting. Please hold your children and loved ones close,” the statement said, according to AZ Central.
During Inoue’s Monday court appearance, prosecutor Jay Rademacher said the two children were found “almost completely decapitated” at the home, according to the AP.
“These children were helpless, Your Honor, and did everything they could to fight their mother,” Rademacher reportedly said.
Inoue was reportedly given a $2 million bond and will appear in court May 21, according to AZ Central.