Crime & Safety

Police: Children Stabbed to Death in Attempted 'Exorcism'

A mother was charged in the incident involving the stabbing of her four young children in along with another woman.

GERMANTOWN, Md. — Police said that two women are facing murder charges after four children were stabbed—two to death—in what they believe was an attempted exorcism Friday.

The mother of the children, Zakieya Latrice Avery, 28, of the 19000 block of Cherry Bend Drive was charged Saturday with attempted murder in the stabbings of her four children. Montgomery County police said a second suspect, Monifa Denise Sanford, 21, of the same address, was also charged with murder and attempted murder in the same case.

Police said that the women believed that they were performing an "exorcism" on the children. The incident is still under investigation.

According to police, the Maryland Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Saturday that Norell Harris, 1, and  Zyana Harris, 2, died Friday from multiple stab wounds. The cause of their deaths was determined to be homicide.

Two other children—identified as 5-year-old Taniya Harris and 8-year-old Martello Harris—were found seriously and critically injured at the scene. They remain in the hospital as of Saturday evening being treated for injuries, police said.

Police found two children dead in an upstairs bedroom and two injured Friday morning, after responding to a 911 call. A neighbor reported seeing a vehicle with its door open and a knife outside of the vehicle.

Sanford was treated for minor injures related to the incident and Avery was not injured, according to police.

There have been no other charges in this case, and no further details have been released. The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070.

Editor's note: This story was updated Sunday, Jan. 19, to include Sanford's booking photo. 


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