Newly released arrest documents are shedding light on the disturbing sequence of events 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 recent weeks. Hommel said he woke up during the night to find Flores lighting a candle with a kitchen knife sitting on the bedroom dresser.
The couple got into an argument and Flores locked Hommel out of the bedroom. He said he eventually went back to sleep before being jolted awake a second time by the sound of his children crying.
Hommel called 911 while telling dispatchers that Flores was chasing him through the house with the knife. Officers arrived to find both children suffering from stab wounds to their chests. Flores now faces charges of attempted capital murder.
Northlake police confirmed that officers had responded to five separate welfare check calls at the family’s home since March. Authorities have not released details about those prior calls or whether Flores was receiving any mental health treatment at the time of the attack.
The case is drawing attention to the broader spectrum of postpartum mental health conditions that often go unrecognized. Licensed clinical psychologist Andrea Niles said that postpartum depression is frequently misunderstood as the only concern for new mothers when in fact the condition can present in many other ways.
Niles said anxiety anger irritability and confusion are all symptoms that can accompany postpartum mental health struggles but rarely receive the same public awareness. She emphasized that family members are often in the best position to notice behavioral changes and seek help early.
Investigators have not confirmed whether a diagnosed mental health condition played any direct role in the alleged attack on the Hommel family. The case remains under active investigation by Denton County authorities.