A 22-year-old North Dakota woman is accused of slitting her children's throats after telling their father to say his goodbyes, leading to the deaths of two young daughters and critical injuries to her son.
Alleged Attack and Charges
Kailey Erhart faces nine criminal charges, including Class AA felony murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault, according to police. Her three-year-old and five-month-old daughters died, while her one-year-old son survived after extensive surgeries, though his condition remains unknown.
Police responded to the home on August 6 and found Erhart in the kitchen, covered in blood, holding a knife to her throat and begging officers to kill her. The children were discovered unresponsive in a bedroom with neck wounds.
Events Leading to the Incident
Erhart's husband, who was in the process of divorcing her, had previously reported her threats to harm herself and the children, leading to her placement in a mental health facility within the past 12 to 18 months, according to an affidavit. On the day of the incident, the father and grandmother were at home with the children.
A video on the husband's phone showed Erhart holding one child and a gun, telling him to 'say goodbye to your children.' The father told police he managed to grab the firearm, but Erhart bit and scratched him. He then took the weapon apart and scattered the pieces to prevent harm.
Erhart allegedly chased her husband and the grandmother out of the house with a knife and locked the door.
Police Response and Court Proceedings
Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler said at a press conference: “A scene like that is something that nobody should ever have to see, and the way [the officers] came through in one of the most horrific times that they’ll probably experience in their life, I’m proud.” He added, “I want to acknowledge this is an extreme, tragic and heartbreaking incident for the children involved, their families, our community and first responders who arrived on scene.”
Erhart was taken into custody and has not yet entered a plea. In custody, she claimed not to remember the events but said she held a knife when police arrived and that the children's throats had been cut before she put them to bed.
Her bond is set at $3 million cash, with District Judge Marina Spahr citing “the extreme violence in these alleged charges and the threat to the community, victims, and children.” She is due in court on October 6 for a preliminary hearing and arraignment.
