A woman who was found guilty of murdering her two young daughters in 2021 has taken her own life while in prison.
The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) has reported that 38-year-old Retta Cruse passed away on February 21 due to what appears to be self-harm by hanging.
According to the statement, Cruse was discovered unresponsive in her housing unit at Perryville Prison, and prison staff performed life-saving measures until paramedics arrived.
Paramedics arrived and, after consulting with medical staff, declared Cruse deceased at the scene.
According to the announcement, Cruse entered ADCRR custody in 2022 following her sentencing in Maricopa County for two counts of first-degree murder.
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On September 8, 2021, authorities arrived at a residence after a man reported that his two children had died in his home.
When authorities arrived at the Phoenix apartment complex, they found 9-year-old Aleyah and 4-year-old Royal unresponsive in a bed. Cruse was discovered in a bedroom, having inflicted knife wounds on himself, according to the report.
Investigators found that Cruse had intentionally given her children prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications to sedate and overdose them.
On September 14, 2021, Cruse was charged with two counts of first-degree murder following her release from the hospital where she received treatment for her injuries. In 2022, she admitted to the murders and received her sentence in the same year.
At that time, 12 News shared that Cruse had recently experienced a challenging custody battle regarding her older daughter, Aleyah.
Court documents revealed that Cruse admitted to the crimes, stating she carried them out specifically due to the custody case, according to the outlet.
Reference: Mother Who Fatally Drugged Her 2 Young Daughters Dies by Suicide in Arizona Prison
