By Associated Press - Tuesday, May 30, 2017

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio mother charged with fatally shooting two children is due back in court.

Police have said 30-year-old Claudena Helton told them she shot her children in the head to “save them” from the world’s evils. Her 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-son died in a Dayton hospital three days after the May 18 shootings.

A municipal court last week set bond at $1 million for Helton in a video arraignment and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Tuesday.



Not-guilty pleas were entered for Helton on charges of attempted murder and felonious assault. The charges likely will be revised later because of the children’s deaths after her arrest.

A public defender is expected to represent her Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities have said they think she might have mental health problems.

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