Newly released court documents are shedding disturbing light on what unfolded inside a Northlake home in the hours before a woman allegedly stabbed her two young children and husband with a kitchen knife early Tuesday morning.
According to the arrest affidavit, Justin Hommel told investigators that he first woke up to find his wife Holly Flores lighting a candle with a kitchen knife sitting on the bedroom dresser. The couple then got into an argument and Flores locked him out of the bedroom before he eventually went back to sleep.
Hommel said he was jolted awake a second time by the sound of his children crying. He called 911 and told dispatchers that Flores was chasing him through the house with the knife. Both children were discovered with stab wounds to their chests.
Hommel told police that Flores had been struggling with postpartum depression and that her behavior had noticeably changed in the period leading up to the attack. Northlake police have not confirmed whether Flores was receiving any mental health treatment at the time.
Investigators also revealed that officers had responded to five separate welfare checks at the family’s home since March. Authorities have not released further details about the nature of those prior calls.
Flores now faces charges of attempted capital murder in connection with the attack. The case has prompted mental health professionals to speak out about the broader and often overlooked symptoms associated with postpartum mental health conditions.
Licensed clinical psychologist Andrea Niles said the public understanding of postpartum depression is too narrow and that many warning signs go unrecognized by families. She said symptoms can include anxiety, intense anger, irritability and confusion that may seem out of character for the person.
Niles said loved ones are often in the best position to notice behavioral changes early. She emphasized that postpartum conditions can present in ways that extend far beyond sadness or crying and that recognizing those signs could be critical in getting someone help before a crisis occurs.
Police have not officially linked any mental health condition to the alleged attack and the investigation remains ongoing.