A Tacony woman accused of killing her twin toddlers last May in a fit of rage over her husband’s suspected infidelity waived a preliminary hearing in Municipal Court on Tuesday.
Stacey Newkirk-Smalls, 41, was ordered to stand trial for the May 24 murders of her 18-month-old twins, Adam and Eve, as well as the attempted murder of her 4-year-old daughter inside the family’s home on the 6300 block of Ditman St.
Newkirk-Smalls allegedly drowned one of the twins, smothered the other and poisoned the older child, who survived. The mother then ingested pills and slashed her own wrists in an apparent attempt to commit suicide, police said at the time.
The 4-year-old reportedly told police that her mother had given her “vitamins” and had instructed her to wash them down with “juice.” But the girl didn’t like the taste and refused to swallow the concoction.
Police initially went to the scene at about 4 p.m. in response to a report of a person screaming. A police source said at the time that officers found notes in the house, including one that stated, “I gave one life. I’m taking three.”
Another note had a woman’s name written on it and stated, “[She] drove me to this. You will never feel 1/10,000 of the pain I feel,” the police source said.
Newkirk-Smalls remains in jail without bail and is to be arraigned in Common Pleas Court on Oct. 2. She is also charged with aggravated assault, endangering children and reckless endangerment. ••
