Chicago Mother of Stabbed Children Found Not Guilty

On May 17, as reported by the Associated Press, Cook County Judge Lawrence Fox found Tonya Vasilev not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her children in April of 2005 in Chicago. The defense argued that Tonya Vasilev had a long history of mental problems dating back to when she was 12 year-old and attempted to commit suicide. Five psychiatrists determined that she was insane at the time of the murders. She will be more than likely spending the rest of her life in a state mental hospital.

Nikolai Vasilev, the father of two children, 9-year-old Christian and 3-year-old Grace came home on the night of April 27, 2005, with a friend who had been living with him and his family and found a horrific sight. His son who had been lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood and his daughter who had been at the top of the stairs dead from stab wounds. His wife and mother of the two young children, Tonya Vasilev sitting next to her with the knife in hand. The children had been stabbed over 200 times each, as reported by CBS News.

Hoffman Estates Police Lt. Rich Russo told CBS News, that the emergency crews tried very hard to resuscitate 9 year-old Christian,unfortunately they could not. He also said that poilce officers found several knives that they had believed were used to stab the children. "It really doesn't get much worse than this," said Russo

Tonya Vasilev was then escorted out of their home and taken to the police station for questioning, where she admitted to Officer Karwaczka that she had killed her children. She was then taken to the hospital for treatment of minor cuts on her hands that occurred during the murder of her children. That Friday afternoon, Tonya Vasilev appeared in court with her hand wrapped in a heavy bandage, and her voice cracking as she spoke. The judge then appointed a public defender to her case and ordered her held without bail.