The killing of 3 baby girls has shocked a California community and left a family torn apart, and police say the woman responsible is in the hospital with self-inflicted wounds.

30-year old Carol Coronado faces three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder after she stabbed her young daughters to death and tried to kill her own mother, officials say. The woman’s mother arrived at the Los Angeles home on Tuesday for a visit and found the bodies arranged on a bed with Coronado lying nude beside them.

“The babies were on the bed,” Lt. Dave Coleman said. “And not in a haphazard fashion, they were placed on the bed, so how and where they were killed, we’re going to have to figure that out.”

Authorities say they have no motive for the murders of 2 1/2-year old Sophia, 16-month old Yazmine, and 2-month old Xenia, but they are investigating her mental health and whether she may have suffered from postpartum depression. The girls’ father, Rudy, is understandably devastated, but according to a relative, he thinks something else was at play when the murders occurred.

“Right now, he’s giving her the benefit of doubt,” John Carrion said. “He just said he didn’t believe he saw Carol — he saw a demon inside her. He said he doesn’t blame Carol. He blames the … demon.”

Coronado suffered at least one self-inflicted stab wound to the chest, but is reportedly expected to recover and will be booked as soon as she is released from the hospital. She faces the death penalty if found guilty.

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