Mom Accused of Killing 2 Children Allegedly Pointed Gun at Dad, Told Him 'Say Goodbye to Your Kids'

A Family Home Became the Center of a Tragedy

A North Dakota mother is accused of killing two of her young children and seriously injuring a third after allegedly threatening their father inside the family’s Mandan home.

Kailey Erhart, 22, was arrested Aug. 6 and faces charges including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, terrorizing with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence, according to jail records reviewed by People. Police responding to the residence found three young children injured inside the home, according to an arrest affidavit cited by the outlet.

Two of the children - a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old - later died at local hospitals. A third young child survived after undergoing surgery, the affidavit states.

For the children’s father, the case left an immediate and devastating loss: two children gone and another recovering from serious injuries.

An Alleged Warning Before Police Were Called

According to the arrest affidavit, the violence was preceded by a confrontation involving Erhart, the children’s father and their grandmother.

Authorities allege Erhart chased the father and grandmother with a knife. Investigators also said she pointed a gun at the children’s father while one of the children was nearby.

A video recorded on the father’s phone allegedly captured Erhart telling him, “Say goodbye to your kids,” according to People, citing reporting based on the police affidavit.

The father was allegedly able to take the gun away from Erhart following a struggle. The affidavit says he and the grandmother were eventually outside the home before police arrived.

Authorities have not publicly identified a motive for what followed.

Officers Found Three Children Inside the Home

Mandan police officers were called to the residence later that day and encountered a deeply disturbing scene, according to the affidavit.

People reported that officers found Erhart inside the home holding a kitchen knife to her own throat. She dropped the knife and was taken into custody.

Police then located the three children inside the residence.

The 5-month-old was pronounced dead at one hospital that evening, while the 3-year-old died at another hospital early the following morning, according to the affidavit. The surviving child underwent surgery.

Police have not publicly released additional details about that child’s recovery.

The children are not being named here because of their ages.

A Father Left Facing Grief and a Child’s Recovery

A fundraiser was later created to help the children’s father with funeral costs and medical expenses for the surviving child, People reported.

Its message described a parent attempting to cope with overwhelming grief while also remaining strong for the child who survived.

That human reality sits at the center of the case. Beyond the criminal charges and court proceedings, one family is now dealing with two deaths, a seriously injured child and the aftermath of an alleged act of violence inside the place where the children should have been safest.

Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler described the case as an extreme and heartbreaking incident affecting the children, their family, the community and the first responders who went to the home, according to People.

The Criminal Case Is Just Beginning

Erhart faces multiple serious charges, but the allegations against her have not been proven in court.

People reported that, as of its Aug. 10 story, it was unclear whether she had entered a plea or retained an attorney who could comment on her behalf.

Police also had not announced a possible motive.

Those unanswered questions leave the legal case at an early stage, even as the consequences for the family are already permanent.

For the father and surviving child, the court process will unfold alongside a far more personal reality: mourning two young lives while trying to recover from a family tragedy that authorities say happened within their own home.

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

References: Mom Accused of Killing 2 Children Allegedly Told Dad ‘Say Goodbye to Your Kids’

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