What did Darlene Brister do? Georgia woman charged as multiple children die in house fire 

Brister was arrested for allegedly attacking her kids (Images via Paulding County Sheriff)
Brister was arrested for allegedly attacking her kids (Images via Paulding County Sheriff)

Police have arrested 40-year-old Darlene Brister for allegedly attacking and stabbing her children. Brister now faces murder charges after Paulding County officials received a report of a house fire where a woman inside was fatally wounding her children.

The unfortunate events unfolded around 9:20 p.m. at a home in the 700 block of Woodwind Drive in Rockmart, West Paulding, according to Paulding County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tyler McSwain.

Paulding County firefighters responded to a call associated with a deadly fire on Woodwind Drive. When they reached the location, they reportedly found seven children, two of whom were unresponsive and three who had injuries. The remaining two were devoid of any injuries.

Emergency personnel rushed three of the children to Grady Memorial Hospital, where two of them were later pronounced dead, raising the death toll to four. Another child, who was admitted to the hospital, has been released with minimal injuries.

Police found Darlene Brister at the scene of the crime and took her into custody. She was later charged with two counts of malice murder and is likely to face additional charges.


Neighbors shocked at Darlene Brister's heinous act

Paulding County authorities said they received a call on Friday about a fire and domestic disturbance at 9 p.m. Officials were informed that the house was being engulfed in flames and that 40-year-old Darlene Brister was trying to attack her children.

Firefighters tried to get the flames under control and went inside the home to search for the children. Two of the kids were pronounced dead at the scene, while medical personnel rushed three others to the hospital to be treated for their injuries.

In a press release, McSwain said:

"Investigators diligently went to work to make sense of the chaotic scene."

Following the incident, residents are unable to believe the tragedy that has occurred, resulting in the deaths of innocent lives.

Speaking to reporters, one of the residents stated how some of the neighbors tried to help some of the kids get out of the house while a few of them tried to jump out of a second-story window.

Meanwhile, other neighbors called Darlene Brister "selfish" and "self-centered" for her violent act.

A neighbor was quoted by WAGA as saying:

"I just don’t know who would do that to their kids."

Even after Brister was arrested, authorities stated that the investigation would continue. The Paulding County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will be the ones leading the investigation.

Darlene Brister is currently in custody without a bond, and her first appearance before a judge is scheduled for Monday morning at 9 a.m.

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Edited by Soumyadyuti Ghosh
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