A second woman has been arrested in the stabbing deaths of two young children in Germantown, Md., in what investigators say was an attempted exorcism.
Montgomery County police arrested Monifa Denise Sanford, 21, of Germantown, Saturday afternoon after she was released from the hospital. Sanford was injured during a violent incident Friday morning where two children were killed and two others were hurt.
Sanford is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. She is being held without bond.
Sanford is the second person to be charged in this incident. Police have also charged Zakieya Latrice Avery, 28, of Germantown, with the same counts. Avery is the mother of the children.
The deceased children are identified as Norell N. Harris, 1, and Zyana Z. Harris, 2. The other two children are still hospitalized. They are identified as Taniya Harris, 5, and Martello Harris, 8.
Investigators learned Avery and Sanford believed they were performing an exorcism. Police have not released any further details and the investigation continues.