25 year old Tanicia Goodwin of Salem, Massachusetts is accused of attempting to kill her 8-year-old son, Jamal and 3 year old daughter Erica.
The children are in critical condition at Children’s Hospital Boston with extremely serious injuries.
She also set her apartment on fire, leaving 50 people who lived in surrounding apartments homeless, authorities said.
According to Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, Goodwin told police: ‘I did what I had to do to protect my children.’
Mr Blodgett said Goodwin had removed the handle of the 714B apartment and put duct tape on the vents and sprinklers.
She also disabled the smoke detectors, poured lighter fluid on her children and lit the apartment ablaze with matches, he said.
Mr Blodgett alleged that Goodwin left her son to burn in the apartment, but took her young daughter to a nearby apartment before fleeing the scene.
According to the police report, Goodwin went to the police station on her own where she smashed a display case and collapsed on the floor. She was sobbing and holding her head and appeared to have soot on her hands. She asked for a cigarette, but police wouldn’t give her one because she also had lighter fluid on her clothes.
Later, she took off all her clothes in an interview room, according to the report.
Goodwin told police: “I did what I had to do to protect my children,” the prosecutor said, but there was no indication that anyone else was involved.
“I’m not supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be alive,” Goodwin told police, according to prosecutors.
She said later: “I just want to protect my babies. Mama loves you. You know I love you guys so much. Mama loves you. I wish I were with you right now. I just wanted to protect them. I’m so sorry, Erica, Jamal.”
When she asked a police officer if her children were OK, she was told they were taken to the hospital. She replied, “Thank you, God. Please keep them alive. I love my children. I just wanted to protect them,” according to the report.
SCOOP: MY FOX BOSTON
What do you think? What should happen to the mom?
