Counseling services were offered at a school in Italy, Texas on Saturday morning following the tragedy that left three children murdered on Friday, March 3.
“Words cannot express the overwhelming grief felt by the district and community upon learning of such a tragedy,” an Italy ISD statement read in part. “We are a small, tight-knit community and as such many students will be affected by this incident.”
Counselors were on hand Saturday morning at Stafford Elementary, near the home where police found three children dead Friday afternoon. Counseling services will also be available Monday morning starting at 10 am at the main campus of Central Baptist Church, according to Italia ISD.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Shamaiya Deyonshana Hall.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed that Hall is the mother of the children.
On Saturday, a spokesperson said Texas Child Protective Services came to a home in the 300 block of Harris for a home visit on Friday. During the visit, a CPS investigator made the decision to remove the children from the home.
“The caseworker then called the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office 911 at approximately 4 pm,” according to Deputy Jerry Cozby.
Police arrived shortly after and found five seriously injured children inside the home. A six-year-old boy and a five-year-old twin boy and girl had died. Two other children in the home, a 4-year-old boy and a 13-month-old girl, were seriously injured. Both were taken to hospitals in Fort Worth and Dallas.
Police have not released details about the visit to the home or how the three children died.
Hall was transferred to the Wayne McCollum Detention Center, where she has been charged with 3 counts of capital murder. She has been set on $2 million bail for each charge.
The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency in this case, with assistance from the Texas Rangers.
