Mother commits suicide after poisoning three kids

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna – A 32-year-old mother committed suicide after forcing her three children to drink a spoonful of toilet bowl cleaner inside their house in Magdalena, Laguna early yesterday morning because of poverty, police said.

Senior Superintendent Manulito Labador, Laguna provincial director identified the victims as Janette Ponce and her three children Marjorie, four; Margarette, three; and MJ, two all residents of Barangay Salasad.

According to report, the three children were sleeping inside their room when they were awaken by their mother and forced them to drink muriatic acid around 1 p.m. Subsequently, Jenette also ended her life by drinking the poison.

Ponce’s sister, Gina told the police, that her sister Janette was forced to kill her kids because of poverty.

In a mobile interview with Senior Inspector Raul Sandoval, Magdalena PNP chief said the victims were only discovered when Gina visited the Ponce family, who lives next door.

Upon seeing her kin, Gina immediately sought the assistance of barangay captain Aniano Laso of said barangay and rushed the four victims to the Laguna Provincial Hospital for treatment. However, the three children were declared dead on arrival at the hospital while Janette died a few minutes later.

Janette’s eldest son Mark Genesis, eight, was spared when he slept at his grandmother’s house, Sandoval said.

Asked for the reasons on the suicide – “mukhang hirap na hirap na silang mag-iina sa buhay kaya nag-isip nalang si Janette na wakasan ang kanilang pagdurusa,” Sandoval said quoting Gina.

Sandoval said Janette’s husband, Jeorly was not around when the crime occurred. He works as construction worker in Manila. – With Ed Amoroso, AP