Mom tried to kill son with rosary and rock: Police
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Inset: Erica Encinas (Maricopa County Jail). Background: The home in Mesa, Arizona, where Encinas allegedly tried to kill her 8-year-old son (KTVK).

A 36-year-old mother in Arizona faces accusations of attempting to kill her 8-year-old son on multiple occasions using various household items, including tile flooring and a rosary, which she allegedly tried to use as a garrote.

Erica C. Encinas was arrested on Monday and faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault-strangulation, aggravated assault on a minor, and child abuse. According to the Mesa Police Department, officers responded at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Sunday to a residence on Broadway Road concerning a reported domestic violence incident. The caller, identified as Encinas, reportedly informed the emergency dispatcher that she had physically attacked her 8-year-old son, who is described as having special needs.

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First responders arriving at the location found the victim seriously injured and requiring medical care. Emergency personnel transported the child to a nearby hospital, where he was admitted with non-life-threatening injuries.

When questioned by authorities, Encinas admitted that she had been planning to murder her son “for a while” and had just made several unsuccessful attempts to do just that, Mesa NBC affiliate KPNX reported.

Prosecutors revealed additional disturbing details about the alleged incident during Encinas’ initial appearance in court. During the proceedings, Deputy County Attorney Ashley Stetson explained what the state believes Encinas did to her child, Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO reported.

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“First, she tried to hit him over the head with a rock,” the prosecutors reportedly told the court. “That did not kill the victim, so then she tried to smother him with a trash bag, that did not work, your honor, then she tried to choke him with a rosary.”

Stetson stated that Encinas’ initial plan was to take her son to a nearby creek and drown him, per the report.

Additionally, the prosecutor told the court that Encinas’ 12-year-old daughter was present during the horrific attack and even tried to help her brother.

“In the process of that, her other minor child did try to intervene, your honor, to save her sibling, however, at the time, the suspect did fight the second minor victim, Stetson said, according to a report from Phoenix Fox affiliate KSAZ. Prosecutors said that during the brief struggle with the 12-year-old, Encinas bit the older child.

The judge reportedly responded to the allegations by saying he was glad that Child Protective Services was already involved in the case before stating, “I don’t know if she’ll ever be in a situation where she will be in the same location [her children] are.”

Following the hearing, Encinas was remanded to jail in lieu of $250,000 cash-only bond.

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