TEMPE, Ariz. — Editor's note: Details of this story may be disturbing to some people.
An internal investigation is underway after a Tempe mother allegedly killed her two kids after police had visited. Newly released police files say she beheaded her children with a meat cleaver.
Yui Inoue is charged with 1st-degree murder in the deaths of her two kids aged nine and seven. New Tempe police documents reveal that officers responded to the home before the murders for a domestic dispute, but made no arrests and left the kids with their mother.
Inoue’s estranged husband, Tsubasa Inoue, called the police after midnight on May 15.
He claimed that Inoue threatened him with a knife. When asked by police why he didn’t leave with the children he replied, “I’m worried about my kids' safety but probably she won’t hurt them.”
After talking to Tsubasa, police went to the apartment where her kids were sleeping. She claimed she was scared of her husband and denied his claims.
Once inside, officers found a broken computer, burned computer parts on the stove, and the knife her husband said she threatened him with.
A language barrier seemed to prevent them from assessing the situation further. Police reports say, “there was some difficulty communicating with her.”
Police returned to the apartment after Inoue came to the police station saying voices told her to kill her kids.
When police were called to Inoue’s apartment they say the Arizona Department of Child Safety had an open case on her. But investigators added that they didn’t have any evidence of abuse or neglect at the time.
Inoue’s trial is set for January of next year.
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