Oregon Mother Faces Attempted Murder Charges After Three Children Treated for Carbon Monoxide Exposure

A 32-year-old Keizer mother of three, who attempted to kill herself and her children by running a hose from the exhaust pipe into the interior of her car, has appeared in court on three counts of attempted murder.

The Garage Had to be Ventilated Before an Investigation Could Begin

The incident occurred at 8.20 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, and when Keizer Police Department officers arrived at the Holly Court NE residence, they had to ventilate the garage before an investigation could begin because of high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Officers responded to a 911 call placed by Benavidez, who was in the living room with her two-year-old twin boys and a four-year-old boy.

When the police entered the garage, they found a hose inside the vehicle connected to the exhaust pipe. They also found a gun inside the car.

At her arraignment on Monday, prosecutors said that the alleged attempt by Benavidez had entailed significant planning for a week before the incident occurred.

She Told the Children They Were Going to Have a Sleepover in the Car

According to court documents, Benavidez had told the children they were going to have a ‘sleepover’ in the car. However, she took them back inside the house when they began showing signs of distress.

Court documents also state that the mother of three told the police that she planned to shoot herself once her children were dead.

Benavidez and the three children were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning at Salem Hospital. When the children were medically cleared on June 7, they were released into the care of their father.

Benavidez is in custody and will appear in court on June 17.