Zakieya Avery

Case overview

Zakieya Avery, 28, and Monifa Sanford, 21, were indicted in the stabbings of four children in what authorities said the women believed was an exorcism.

Avery was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Avery's 18-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter in January at a home in Germantown, Md., outside Washington. She was also indicted on two counts of attempted first-degree murder in an attack on Avery's 5-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son.

Prosecutors said the women told investigators they believed evil spirits moved between the bodies of the children and that an exorcism was needed to drive the demons out.

Prosecutors said Avery told investigators she believed an exorcism of her children was necessary to remove the presence of the devil and evil spirits, and Capt. Marcus Jones said she believed “the devil was in the kids.” Police said that if a neighbor had not called 911, the two older children might have died too.

Timeline

• January (year not stated) — Two children were killed and two older children were attacked at a home in Germantown, Md., outside Washington.
• January 21, 2014 — Police arrived at the home on the 19000 block of Cherry Bend Drive in Germantown, officers found the children after a neighbor reported a car with the door open and a knife with blood on it, and Avery and Sanford were facing two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree attempted murder.
• January 23, 2014 — Avery and Sanford were reported to have been indicted.
• March 14, 2014 — Indictments were reported as pending.

The victims and their injuries

Avery's 18-month-old son was killed. Avery's 2-year-old daughter was also killed.

Avery’s 5-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were attacked and were hospitalized in critical condition, but expected to survive.

Police described a “very bloody scene” involving six people, four of them children under the age of 10.

Norell Harris, 1, and Zyana Harris, 2, were found dead in their beds in the home. Taniya Harris, 5, was found in an adjacent bedroom in a fetal position with multiple stab wounds. Martello Harris, 8, also suffered stab wounds.

Investigation and calls to police

911 call Thursday night

Police received a call from a concerned neighbor at around 10.15pm on Thursday. The neighbor reported that a baby had been left inside a car for 45 minutes and stated: “I have a baby in the car that's been here for 45 minutes.” The caller also said: “Back up off me, ma'am. That is my business, a kid in the car for an hour that is my business.” The caller later claimed that “the woman was 'talking to herself'.” Police said they did respond to that first call, but when they arrived the women and the children were already inside, and they did not pursue the matter. Police said they reported the incident to Child Protective Services who were due to call around Friday morning.

911 call Friday morning

A different neighbor called 911 at 9.23am on Friday after seeing noises the previous night and noticing a knife with blood on it inside a parked car. The caller reported: “In the car outside there is a knife with blood. The car has the door open, the house has windows open up there.” The caller said: “I heard loud noises in the night, I just woke up. I heard, like, jumping. I didn't know, they have 4 children, so I don't know if the kids are just doing that every day.” The caller added: “So I didn't know. I just didn't think anything. I took my kids to school and I saw the knife with blood outside, I see the car with the door open, I see the windows open. I don't know if something happened there. The knife is still there.”

After officers responded to the home, they discovered the two youngsters dead and the older siblings suffering from stab wounds. The two youngest children were pronounced dead at the scene.

Allegations regarding “exorcism” and belief in evil spirits

Prosecutors said the women believed evil spirits moved between the bodies of the children and that an exorcism was needed to drive the demons out.

Police said Avery told detectives she “thought the devil was in the kids.” Capt. Marcus Jones said: “She just thought that there were evil spirits within the kids.” Police also said Avery told investigators that she thought an exorcism of her children was necessary to remove the presence of the devil and evil spirits.

In court, prosecutors disclosed Avery’s record of involuntary commitments for psychiatric delusions. Police said Sanford made similar statements during questioning, and that Sanford told investigators she believed the devil and evil spirits were involved.

“She just thought that there were evil spirits within the kids,” Capt. Marcus Jones said.

“She thought the devil was in the kids,” Montgomery County police captain Marcus Jones said.

Role of Avery and Sanford in the attack

Avery and Sanford were described as having formed a group called the “Demon Assassins.” Avery was positioned as “commander” and Sanford as “sergeant.”

In court comments, Avery and Sanford were described as having scheduled an in-home exorcism Thursday evening for a group member named Troy, but Troy never arrived.

Prosecutors said the women believed a demonic spirit had invaded the soul of all four children, turning their eyes dark black. Prosecutors said the attack began with an attempt to break the neck of the youngest child, proceeded into strangulation, and “ultimately graduated into stabbing.” Prosecutors said that after the stabbing, the spirit was seen to move between the children, including an account that “demons jumping into” Norrell Harris was observed.

A Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in court: “She tried to snap his neck.” McCarthy also said: “Then she began to choke him.”

McCarthy said that after the attack, the women washed the bodies of the dead children and wrapped them in blankets so that they would appear clean before God.

McCarthy said: “It was to be an everlasting life in heaven.”

Police description of the scene and church-related details

Capt. Marcus Jones said it was difficult to tell if Avery felt sorry about what happened to her kids.

Capt. Jones said: “She just thought that there were evil spirits within the kids.”

Capt. Jones also described the townhome as “remarkably normal.” He said: “There were no candles, documents, or literature, nothing indicating a ritual had been held.”

Avery met Sanford at a Germantown church called Exousia Ministries. Avery and Sanford were reportedly members of a Germantown-based group called the ‘Demon Assassins.’ The church was described as a small Christian congregation which worships at a Germantown elementary school. The pastor of Exousia Ministries, Darryl Jones, declined to discuss the case after services and declined to confirm that the women worshipped there. Darryl Jones said: “This is a tragic situation. We're keeping the family in (our) prayers and we are respecting the privacy of the family,” and he said: “We're keeping the family in (our) prayers and we are respecting the privacy of the family.”

The pair stopped worshipping at the church about two months before the reporting described in the case narrative.

Arrests and detention status

Avery was arrested when authorities said she tried to flee from a townhouse near the vehicle. Police found the two children dead inside the home and took the siblings and Sanford to the hospital with injuries.

Police said Sanford was arrested Saturday after being released from the hospital.

A judge ordered psychiatric evaluation for Avery.

Judge Gary G. Everngam ordered jailers to transfer both women to the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, a maximum security psychiatric facility located in Jessup, for extensive mental health testing to see if either was equipped to stand trial.

Both women remained behind bars without bond pending their psychiatric evaluations.

Charges and court proceedings

Avery and Sanford were described as facing:

• two counts of first-degree murder (in the deaths of Avery’s 18-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter)
• two counts of first-degree attempted murder (in the stabbing attack on Avery’s 5-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son)

At a Montgomery County District courtroom on January 21, 2014, prosecutors described an attempted exorcism that left two toddlers dead and two older children critically injured.

As of January 21, 2014, Avery was reported to have enlisted district public defender Brian Shefferman. Sanford’s family had hired private defense attorneys Edward Leyden and Dana Jones-Oliver.

Dana Jones-Oliver said: “Monifa has always been a very meek, very mild, very obedient person.” Jones-Oliver also said: “She's always been known as a very nurturing, affectionate caregiver. So this is shocking. It shocks the conscience.”

Mental health background

A psychiatric evaluation was ordered for Avery by District Judge Gary G. Everngam.

McCarthy said that Avery had been committed to a mental health facility in the past.

The reporting described that it appeared Sanford had also struggled with mental health issues and that Sanford reportedly tried to commit suicide twice. Sanford’s mental health evaluation was postponed until a defense attorney had claimed her case.

A Montgomery County Police Department Capt.

People connected to the case

Avery’s family and the children’s family

The children’s grandmother, Ida Johnson, 90, was quoted describing her shock and describing the children as the “sweetest things.” Ida Johnson said: “I will cherish those memories forever,” and: “Their lives were cut short and they had no say so whatsoever. It doesn't make sense.”

Ida Johnson said: “I don't know what was going on between the family, all I know is they were sweet kids,” and she said: “It's heartbreaking. Something should be done about who did it. But at the same time, it's not going to bring the children back. I just hope they get (what they deserve).”

Ida Johnson said the children’s father, her grandson, Martin Luther Harris Jr., traveled to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. to be with his surviving son and daughter.

Jones said the father, Martin Luther Harris Jr., relocated to Los Angeles after he separated from Avery.

A parent described as Avery’s stepgrandmother, Sylvia Wade, told The Washington Post that Avery was “humble and meek” and said she loved her children. Wade said: “I don't know what triggered it,” “She wasn't herself,” and: “When a person is not of themselves, they are not responsible for what they are