A mother who stabbed her three young children to death jailed for 16 years

Riggi, 46, with her children who she killed. She was found badly injured after plunging from a second-floor balcony in an apparent suicide bid. She also had stab wounds which were believed to have been self-inflicted

A mother who stabbed her three young children to death after fearing she would lose them in a bitter custody battle was jailed for 16 years today.
Theresa Riggi, 47, killed her eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke and her five-year-old daughter Cecilia at their Edinburgh home last August.
The youngsters' bloodstained bodies were discovered lying side by side at the Slateford Road townhouse following a gas explosion at the building, each with eight stab wounds and multiple abrasions and bruises.
California-born Riggi was found badly injured after plunging from a second-floor balcony in an apparent suicide bid. She also had stab wounds which were believed to have been self-inflicted.
She was initially charged with murder but last month admitted three counts of the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility