Loganville Family Stabbing: Five Things To Know

LOGANVILLE, GA — Police called it "horrendous." A mass stabbing in Loganville early Thursday morning left four children and their father dead, a 9-year-old girl fighting for her life in the hospital and the family's mother in jail facing murder charges.

Here are five things to know about the Loganville stabbing deaths, which have shocked an entire community:

The Details

Authorities received a 911 call at 4:47 a.m. Thursday from a woman at a home on Emory Lane in Loganville. Police say that woman was 33-year-old Isabel Martinez, who is now in jail facing multiple murder charges and being held for federal immigration officials.

Police arrived to find a man and four children dead. Those victims are:

• Martin Romero, 33
• Isabela Martinez, 10
• Dacota Romero, 7
• Dillan Romero, 4
• Axel Romero, 2

Isabel Martinez was detained for questioning and later arrested.

The Survivor

Nine-year-old Diana Romero also was brutally attacked in the stabbing. She was in serious but stable condition Thursday night at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, according to police. A relative said Diana has undergone surgery to repair the damage from multiple stab wounds and is expected to remain in the hospital for two or three weeks before starting physical therapy and rehab.

Mom's Behavior

Martinez made her first court appearance Friday morning and displayed what many observers are calling bizarre behavior. Video from WSB-TV shows her in a jailhouse jumpsuit, smiling broadly and repeatedly giving a two-handed "thumbs up" sign to news cameras.

She made a hand gesture that looked like prayer several times and at one point dropped to her knees as if praying before being told by a sheriff's deputy to return to her seat. With the help of a translator, she appeared to tell a judge she wants to represent herself in court, saying her "attorney is the people we are fighting for."

A neighbor told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Martinez had been suffering mental issues and was upset about her father dying three weeks ago.

The Fundraiser

On charity fundraising website GoFundMe, a family member has created a campaign to raise money for the family's funeral costs and Diana Romero's medical care. By noon Friday, the campaign had raised about $16,000 of its $50,000 goal. "God Bless, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any and all help," wrote Hallie Romero, the campaign's creator, who said Martin Romero was her husband's cousin.

Reactions

A Gwinnett County Police spokeswoman called the crime one of the worst local authorities have seen. "What prompts a person to take the life of such innocent children and her spouse is something we may never understand," said Gwinnett Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said. "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 county sheriff's office asked citizens to pray for everyone involved — including first-responders who worked on the crime scene. "Horrific crimes involving tiny victims are some of the worst images that you'll ever see and they tend to stick with you for a long time," read a social media post from the office.

Family photo via GoFundMe. Other photos courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department.