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Family slaughter update: Mother who ‘kept seeing things’ charged with killing four children, husband, and injuring 5th child
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The matriarch of a Loganville, Georgia, family has been charged with stabbing and killing almost her entire family, aside from a daughter who managed to barely survive what authorities are calling a “horrendous” slaughter that occurred on Wednesday.

NBC 11Alive reports that Isabel Martinez is accused of killing four of her children and her husband during the early morning hours of Wednesday. She allegedly attempted to kill her other child, but authorities found the little girl alive and rushed her to the hospital, where she’s listed in critical condition.

All of the children were under age 10, and Martinez’s husband, whose name hasn’t yet been released, was in his mid-30’s. It’s still unclear what made Martinez snap and reportedly kill her family, but a neighbor indicated that she had recently lost her father and was extremely upset she couldn’t get back to Mexico to attend his funeral. The neighbor also said Martinez had recently started complaining of “seeing things.”

“She kept saying she kept seeing things,” said neighbor Pedro Ramirez, 15.

Ramirez said Martinez was generally a happy person who was friendly to people in the neighborhood, but after her father died, she became “a lot meaner.”

Gwinnett Co. Public Information Officer, Corp. Michele Pihera, couldn’t offer an alternative theory on why Martinez allegedly did what she did, but Pihera gave condolences to those affected by the tragedy.

“What prompts a person to take the life of such innocent children and her spouse is something we may never understand.  This is a horrendous crime not only for the victims but for the extended family, neighborhood and community.  We are hoping and praying that the remaining victim survives his/her injuries and makes a full recovery.”

The children were a part of the afterschool community club Path Project. The club’s director, Jim Hollandsworth, remembered seeing a few of the kids at the center and said they were sweet, happy kids that didn’t seem on surface to have issues at home.

“Sweet kids. Great kids,” said Hollandsworth.

Martinez is being held without bond and charged with five counts of murder, five counts of malice murder, and six counts of aggravated assault.

The story is still developing. Check back with Crime Online for additional updates.

[Feature Photo: Gwinnett County PD]