Woman charged with murders of her 3 children appears in Merced County court

Patricia Ortiz was astatine times affectional erstwhile prosecutors shared grounds they accidental shows she suffocated her children successful 2022.

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Le Grand pistillate charged with the murders of her 3 children appeared successful tribunal for her preliminary proceeding connected Tuesday.

Patricia Ortiz is accused of sidesplitting her 3 young children successful January 2022.

When the justice work the charges, Ortiz was visibly upset.

She's charged with 3 counts of execution aft prosecutors accidental she killed her 2 daughters, 8-year-old Anna and 3-year-old Alexa, and her lad 5-year-old Matteo, earlier trying to termination herself.

Deputy Bender, who arrived archetypal connected the scene, testified helium recovered Ortiz successful the bathtub with cuts to her little arms.

He says helium past proceeded to 1 of the bedrooms wherever helium recovered the 5-year-old lad receiving CPR from a neighbor.

"His limb was stiff successful the air," Bender recalled.

Bender says the 2 girls were successful different room, placed successful a furniture facing each other.

Both young girls were acold to the touch.

The coroner yet ruling each the 3 children were suffocated.

Mark Super, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy, says it would person taken astir 5 minutes to smother each child.

In summation to suffocating, Super says it appeared 8-year-old Anna whitethorn person been bound.

"On the wrist, astir these marks were these sticky particles of signifier material. These really did look similar particles of tape," said Super.

Despite the prosecution's theory, a question of enactment filled the courtroom for Ortiz.

Her member spoke with Action News and says, helium wishes helium knew sooner his sister was suffering from intelligence wellness issues.

Ortiz volition beryllium backmost successful tribunal connected Wednesday morning.

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is successful affectional distress oregon considering suicide, telephone the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline astatine 988 oregon 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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