Texas Mother Confesses To Killing Two Daughters, Aged 1 And 6

A Texas mother was arrested Monday after she confessed to killing her two daughters, local authorities said.

A statement from the police revealed that 30-year-old Madison McDonald entered the Irving Police Department at around 10:00 p.m. and used the public telephone in the lobby to dial 911 where she confessed to killing her daughters, 1-year-old Lillian Mae McDonald and 6-year-old Archer Hammond.

McDonald was detained and officers were dispatched to her home in the Anthem Apartments located in 600 block of Cowboys Park. Officers, with the help of the Irving Fire Department, made a forced entry into the home and found the two daughters. They were both pronounced dead.

Police said McDonald was charged with two counts of capital murder of a person under 10 years of age.

When asked on the nature of the children's deaths, public information officer Robert Reeves told reporters in a press briefing, "[McDonald] believed she did that by smothering them." He said the exact determination of how they died will have to be decided by the medical examiner's office.

McDonald is currently detained at the Irving City Jail with no bond. She will be transferred to the Dallas County Jail either on Wednesday or Thursday.

Reeves revealed the department had been in contact with McDonald before, but said the department could not provide additional information.

Police said the investigation is still in its early stages and is urging anyone with helpful information to step forward and contact them. Reeves, citing increasing domestic violence cases at home during the covid-19 lockdown, said people should contact authorities should they see the first signs of trouble.

"If you know someone is going through a situation, don't choose to not get involved. Choose to be the advocate for that victim and contact your local police department and let them at least come out and assess the situation and figure out if someone's in danger," the officer said.

Reeves also said that the officers dispatched to the scene will receive counseling from the department's crisis incident peer support.

"Anytime you go out on a scene like this and you witness two young children who are deceased, that obviously is a call that stays with you. And so we will make sure that those officers will have the opportunity to speak to someone if they need to," Reeves said.

Answering a reporter's inquiry on McDonald's demeanor during the incident, Reeves described her as being "very calm." No witnesses were reported.