Yokeia Smith, a young mother from East St. Louis, III., shot dead her two children and fled the scene in her car, police said.

According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Smith, 25, was arrested by police in downtown St. Louis on Wednesday after her car hit two pedestrians while she fled the scene. She being questioned over the killing of her children, state police Capt. James Morrisey said.

East St. Louis police Capt. Bobby Cole said police received a call about shooting in an apartment building and reached the scene of murder at just after 6 p.m. and recovered the bodies of two of Smith's children.

Yokela Smith, 4, and Levada Brown, 5, were shot in the head from point-blank range with a shotgun and died immediately due to devastating injury, reveals the autopsy report. A third child, 8, who was present in the apartment, remained unharmed and is now in the custody of a relative.

I don't know why the babies are dead, said Smith's cousin, Virginia Brown. She, however, mentioned Smith was prescribed anti-depressants by a doctor recently.

The 42-year-old man and his son, who were hit by Smith, were taken to hospital and had non-life threatening injuries, doctors confirmed.