Newly released arrest affidavit documents are shedding disturbing light on the moments that unfolded inside a Northlake home before a woman allegedly attacked her husband and two young children with a kitchen knife early Tuesday morning.
According to the affidavit, Justin Hommel told investigators that his wife Holly Flores had been struggling with postpartum depression and that her behavior had noticeably changed in the period leading up to the attack.
Hommel said he first woke up during the night to find Flores lighting a candle in the bedroom with a kitchen knife sitting on the dresser nearby. The couple argued before Flores locked him out of the room and he eventually returned to sleep.
He was awakened a second time by the sound of his children crying. Hommel called 911 and told dispatchers that Flores was chasing him through the house while armed with the knife.
Officers arriving at the scene discovered both young children had suffered stab wounds to their chests. Flores was subsequently charged with attempted capital murder in connection with the attack.
Northlake police confirmed that officers had previously responded to the home on five separate welfare check calls dating back to March. Authorities have not released details about the nature of those prior calls or whether Flores was receiving any mental health treatment at the time of the attack.
The case is prompting renewed attention to the broader scope of postpartum mental health conditions. Licensed clinical psychologist Andrea Niles said that many families fail to recognize symptoms that extend well beyond sadness or crying.
Niles said anxiety, intense anger, irritability and confusion are all possible indicators of postpartum mental health struggles that often go unaddressed. She emphasized that narrowly defining postpartum depression can prevent families from identifying warning signs early enough to intervene.
Niles also stressed that family members are often in the best position to notice behavioral changes and serve as a critical first line of response when something seems off with a new mother.
Police have not officially stated whether a diagnosed mental health condition was a contributing factor in the Northlake stabbing. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the attack.