Phoenix woman accused of fatally sedating 2 young daughters
PHOENIX (AP) — A Phoenix woman has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her two young daughters, police said Wednesday.
They said 35-year-old Retta Renee Cruse was booked into jail Tuesday after being released from a hospital following treatment for alleged self-inflicted stab wounds.
According to court documents, police responded to a 911 call Sept. 8 and found the girls — ages 4 and 9 — dead on a apartment bed with their arms around each other and no apparent signs of trauma.
Police said toxicology results still are pending, but Cruse is accused of using over-the-counter and prescription drugs to sedate and overdose the girls.
Investigators reported finding a bottle of oxycodone and other evidence at the scene, but police said the Maricopa County medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death for the girls.
Police said Cruse was found barricaded in another room of the apartment with multiple stab wounds and a knife nearby.
Cruse allegedly was worried about losing custody of the girls after a recent court hearing, according to police.
Cruse was being held on a $2 million bond. It was unclear Wednesday if she has a lawyer who can speak on her behalf.