Rachel Henry was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the brutal murders of her three young children in Phoenix, Arizona. The prosecution, describing her actions as “senseless” and “cruel,” emphasized the unimaginable horror of the crime during the sentencing hearing.
On January 20, 2020, Henry smothered her children three-year-old Zane Henry, one-year-old Miraya Henry, and seven-month-old Catalaya Rios while singing nursery rhymes such as The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The chilling details of the crime were recounted in court, where prosecutors highlighted the vulnerability of the children and their inability to protect themselves.
At the time of the killings, Henry was living with her aunt. Prosecutors stated that she killed her children one by one, beginning with Miraya. While playing a game she later referred to as “dog pile,” she noticed her daughter having difficulty breathing and proceeded to smother her by covering her mouth. Her three-year-old son, Zane, tried to stop her by hitting her, but his efforts were in vain. After killing Miraya, Henry chased Zane around the house before managing to get him alone. She then straddled him, smothered him to death, and wrapped his body in a blanket. The youngest child, Catalaya, was the last to be killed in the same manner.
Henry initially pleaded not guilty after her indictment on January 29, 2020. Prosecutors had originally intended to seek the death penalty, but a plea agreement resulted in a stipulated sentence of life imprisonment instead.
During the sentencing hearing, the state emphasized Henry’s responsibility as a mother, stating that instead of protecting her children, she became the very thing that harmed them. The prosecution underscored the lasting impact of her actions, noting that she stole the futures of three innocent children.
Her defense attorneys acknowledged the horror of her crimes while attempting to offer some explanation for her actions, though they conceded that Henry herself could not articulate what led to the killings. “It is still kind of a mystery, in the sense that we may never know exactly what was going on that day with Rachel,” her lawyer stated. “And Rachel can’t explain it or remember it herself in any articulable way that makes sense.”
Henry chose not to make a statement during the hearing. Instead, her defense attorneys conveyed her sorrow and expressed her intention to spend the rest of her life attempting to make amends.
The judge sentenced Henry to three consecutive life sentences, ensuring she will never be released from prison. The court also addressed a restitution request of $30,000, which will be determined in a later hearing.
Before issuing the sentence, the judge acknowledged the gravity of the case, calling it one of the most horrific the court had ever seen.
