Mother accused of murdering 2 children has history of violence, anger - WMC-TV

MEMPHIS, TN -

(WMC-TV) - The mother accused of murdering her two small children is now officially charged with the crimes.

Jamina Briggs, 29, is charged with two counts of first degree murder.

Her two children, 23-month old Jeremiah and 6-year-old Nicholas, were found on the couch with multiple stab wounds. They were taken to the hospital after police say they were stabbed Wednesday night.

First responders performed CPR on one of the children at the scene, 230 Tillman Street. They both died at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital about an hour later.

In an affidavit, Briggs is quoted as saying "the voices told me to do it" and "I'm sorry".

Briggs had blood on her hands when the police knocked at the door.

The booking photo provided to Action News 5 is one taken in 2010 when Briggs was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and violating her probation. She has been locked up a total of seven times, once for threatening to kill her boyfriend with a butcher knife. She was also arrested for reportedly biting her mother's face and for attacking her mom while dropping her children off with her.

Court documents note Briggs' mental health issues, which include depression and schizophrenia.

Her former boyfriend told police she had a temper and is also bipolar. Twice, she had gotten into trouble with a judge for violating her probation, in part, for skipping out on mandatory anger management classes.

In a December 5 Facebook post, she asked for peace and protection from the enemy for herself and her children at all times.

Neighbors who knew Jamina Briggs for only a couple of months told me she seemed to have some mental issues. Her record shows she has a history of violent assaults.

A friend said Briggs was at a difficult time in her life.

"She said she was going through some stuff going in and out of Lakeside stuff like," said friend Erica Harris. "She just had her and her baby in there."

Psychologist Dr. Allan Battle said women are more likely to kill their children because they are with them more. He says there could be many other reasons including that some mothers feel life is so horrible that killing their children is an act of kindness.

"They are miserable and they don't want any child of theirs to suffer they would," he said.

Briggs' neighbors on Tillman Street say she has only lived in the neighborhood for about two months.

"Everybody surprised, you know, that it happened right here in the neighborhood," said Lawrence Bonds, who lives across the street from Briggs. "Just sad. I feel sorry for her."

Bonds says he tried to help Briggs whenever she asked. He gave her rides, let her use the phone, bought her cigarettes, and even dropped her off at the dentist office Wednesday morning.

He says he had talks with her about her medication.

"She wasn't taking her medicine like she was supposed to," he recalled. "She had a problem. She needs help."

Copyright 2013 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.