In Texas, a mother, Holly Leeann Flores, 37, was taken into custody following an incident where she allegedly stabbed her husband and their two young children, ages 3 years and 10 months. This occurred early Tuesday morning, with police being alerted around 4:20 a.m. to a stabbing in progress at their residence on Daylily Drive. According to a newly released arrest affidavit, Flores’ husband indicated that she was experiencing postpartum depression at the time.
The husband, Justin Hommel, had shown concern over her behavior leading up to the incident. The affidavit detailed that during the confrontation, he attempted to reach the children but found them in another room while his wife was actively attacking him with a knife.
Upon their arrival, officers found Hommel outside with a knife in his hand, blood on his head, and he quickly dropped the weapon. They entered the home to find Flores and subsequently detained her as they heard the children screaming inside. Both children were found to have stab wounds but were conscious when officers arrived. They were transported to a hospital for immediate medical attention.
- Hommel, the 34-year-old father, sustained head injuries.
- His 3-year-old daughter had a stab wound to her chest.
- The 10-month-old son also suffered a stab wound to his chest.
Hommel and the children were taken to a hospital in Fort Worth, while Flores was taken to a Denton hospital for observation. Once cleared, she was booked into Denton County Jail on charges, including two counts of attempted capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The bond for the attempted murder charges was set at $1 million each, with no bond established for the aggravated assault charge.
Northern Police Chief Robert Crawford noted that during a 911 call, Hommel mentioned trying to get to his children while Flores was trying to stab him. There were previous calls to the residence regarding welfare concerns, and Child Protective Services had been involved with the family. An emergency dispatcher reported that Flores was also seen attempting to turn on the gas stove in the house — this has yet to be confirmed by police.
Hommel recounted waking up at 1 a.m. to find his wife using a lighter and noticed a kitchen knife on their dresser. He felt alarmed and returned to try to rest but was later awoken by the sound of his children crying, leading to the conflict that followed. The affidavit indicates that after wrestling the knife away from Flores, Hommel showed signs of struggle, evidenced by bite marks on his arm.
As of Thursday, authorities reported that both children had been discharged from the hospital and were placed in the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, while Hommel was also released from the hospital.
