PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department is still investigating how and why two young girls were killed in a north Phoenix apartment complex on Wednesday.
The girls were found unresponsive near 13th Street and Mountain View Road.
The investigation
Police said they received a 911 call from the father of the two girls Wednesday evening. When they arrived on scene, Phoenix police officers said they found a 4-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl dead inside an apartment.
Their mother was found in a bedroom with what police believe are self-inflicted wounds. She’s expected to survive those injuries.
In a release, Phoenix police said the mother is suspected of killing the girls.
The identity of the mother has not been released and no arrests have been made. Police said they’re still working to notify the victims' next of kin.
Police said it wasn’t clear how or why the girls died. Police said the medical examiner will be working to help figure out the circumstances leading up to their deaths.
Holding space
As of late afternoon Thursday, investigators still had the apartment complex blocked off as they continued to investigate the girls’ deaths.
On the outside of the fence, people had begun to drop off items to honor the little girl’s lives.
“All I care about is the kids have something,” Teri Potter, who lives up the street said.
Potter dropped off angel wings, candles, and flowers. She tied them all to a fence surrounding the complex in honor of the girls.
“They’re angels, they’re angels now,” Potter said.
‘It’s heartbreaking’
Neighbor Tanisha Berry said she would see the kids playing on the balcony of the apartment.
“They were happy, they always looked like they were dressed to go to church,” Berry said.
Desha Joseph said she saw the mother while she took her son to the school bus stop.
“They go to school with the kids,” Desha said. “It’s heartbreaking. It really is.”
Joseph said the 9-year-old goes to Sunnyslope School with her son. She said she remembers on the first day of school seeing the mother come to drop off the 9-year-old daughter at the bus as she brought the 4-year-old with her.
“The first day of school the little girl had her backpack, she wasn’t even going to school, but the mom wanted to make her feel special and important too, so she had her backpack on as they took (her) big sister to school,” Joseph said.
The community is waiting for more information as police continue to investigate.
“My prayers go out to the whole family,” Joseph said.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.