Counseling Services Offered After Three Children Killed, Two Hurt In Ellis County

Counseling services were offered at an Italy, Texas school Saturday morning in response to three children who were killed Friday.

“Words cannot express the overwhelming grief felt by the district and the community hearing of such a tragedy,” a statement from Italy ISD read in part. “We are a tight-knit, small community and as such many students will be impacted by this incident.”

Counselors were available Saturday morning at Stafford Elementary, near the home where police found three children dead Friday afternoon. Counseling services will also be available Monday morning beginning at 10 a.m. at Central Baptist Church’s main campus, according to Italy ISD.

The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Shamaiya Deyonshana Hall, who family members and neighbors said is the mother of the children killed.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed Hall as the children’s mother.

On Saturday, a spokesperson said Texas Child Protective Services came to a home on the 300 block of Harris for a home visit Friday. During the visit, a CPS investigator made the decision to remove the children from the home.

“The caseworker then called the Ellis County Sheriff 911 dispatch at appropriately 4 p.m.,” according to Deputy Jerry Cozby.

Police arrived shortly after and found five children critically injured children inside the home. A six-year-old boy and a five-year-old twin boy and girl were dead. Two other children in the home, a 4-year-old boy and a 13-month-old girl were seriously hurt. Both were rushed to hospitals in Fort Worth and Dallas.

Police have not released specific details on the home visit or how the three children died.

Hall was transported to the Wayne McCollum Detention Center, where she has been charged with 3 counts of Capital Murder. She has been arraigned with a $2 million bond on each charge.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency on this case, with assistance from the Texas Rangers.