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A mother in the United Kingdom who repeatedly stabbed her three children to death was sentenced to 16 years jail.The Sun reported that Theresa Riggi, 47, killed her eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke and her five-year-old daughter Cecilia at their Edinburgh home.
The mother was afraid she would lose them in a bitter custody row.
The youngsters' bloodstained bodies were discovered with eight stab wounds and multiple abrasions and bruises.
The mother was found badly injured after plunging from a second-floor balcony in an apparent suicide bid.
She also had stab wounds which were believed to have been self-inflicted.
Initially, she was charged with murder, but last month she admitted three counts of the lesser charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Source:The Sun
Images: The Sun
Published April 28 2011
KILLER mum Theresa Riggi who stabbed her three children to death during a bitter custody battle was jailed for 16 years yesterday.
Riggi, 47, killed her eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke and her five-year-old daughter Cecilia at their Edinburgh home last August.
The youngsters' bloodstained bodies were discovered lying side by side at their townhouse following a gas explosion at the building, each with eight stab wounds and multiple abrasions and bruises.
American Riggi was found badly injured after plunging from a second-floor balcony in an apparent suicide bid. She also had stab wounds which were believed to have been self-inflicted.
Jailed ... Theresa Riggi with her children
She was sentenced today at the High Court in Glasgow after Donald Findlay QC spent more than two hours delivering a plea of mitigation on her behalf.
The court heard that Riggi and her estranged husband Pasquale, a Shell UK engineer, had been involved in a legal battle over the children's custody at the time of the killings.
Lord Bracadale, sentencing, said: "You have pleaded guilty to charges of repeatedly stabbing to death each of your twin sons, Austin and Luke, aged nine years, and your daughter Cecilia, aged five years.
"The result of these acts is a devastating family tragedy. The father of the children, Pasquale Riggi, and the wider family have been left utterly bereft by the loss of the children.
"And you, who had a genuine but abnormal and possessive love of your children, have lost them and are brought to this sorry pass."
A MUM feared to have stabbed her three young children to death before hurling herself from a balcony yesterday was involved in a bitter custody fight over the youngsters.
Horrified neighbours watched as sobbing Theresa Riggi - who is embroiled in a divorce battle with husband Pasquale - plummeted 40ft from the second floor of the terraced house in Edinburgh.
Last night it emerged cops had been searching for the mum, who went on the run with the children - twin brothers Gianluca and Augustino, eight, and their five-year-old sister Cecilia - from her home in Skene, Aberdeenshire.
Balcony leap ... Riggi was injured
"It has been a very high-profile investigation by Grampian Police.
"The children were at the centre of a bitter custody battle. This is a tragic set of circumstances."
Officers were today still waiting to quiz Riggi who is seriously injured as locals paid tribute to the children.
Reverend Iain Thomson, from Skene Parish Church, said: "This is a terrible tragedy. The children were beautiful and so young.
"Nothing like this has ever happened to people here before and I really feel for the father who's lost his daughter and sons. We are all in shock."
It is thought Riggi had turned on the gas and tried to torch the property in the capital - but a worried local raised the alarm after smelling the fumes.
When emergency teams arrived at the scene, they found the 46-year-old mum lying badly hurt outside the terraced house.
Fire crews raced inside to tackle the small blaze - then discovered a sickening scene of horror.
Gianluca, Augustino and sister Cecilia were found lying dead in the blood-soaked living room after being repeatedly stabbed.
A source said: "It was a horrific scene.
"The kids were lying on the floor with stab wounds and there was blood all over the floor.
Alert ... 999 crews raced to property in Edinburgh
"The woman was crumpled in a heap outside the house with numerous cuts and broken bones.
"Initially there were reports of a gas explosion, but investigations ruled that out."
Riggi was being treated in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where her condition was reported to be serious but stable.
A "detailed and protracted" forensic examination of the Edinburgh home was underway today as cops appealed for information about the family's lifestyle.
Detective Superintendent Allan Jones said: "First and foremost our thoughts are with the children's family, and we are doing what we can to support them at this tragic time.
"The woman and children had been traced to the address in Slateford Road last month after they had been reported missing from their home in the Aberdeen area.
"The family had been in the city for a few weeks and we are keen to speak to anyone who knew them during that time.
"Anyone who knew the detail of their movements and of their lifestyle here is asked to get in touch with us. This is a bit of a dark area for us at the moment and we are keen to shed some light on it."
Gianluca, Augustino and Cecilia never started school and were taught at home by their mother.
Neighbour Bert Michaels said: "The family kept themselves to themselves, I only heard about Theresa speaking to people when she told them to keep off her private road.
"She was not very welcoming and never came to say hello and I have to admit I thought it strange she never took the children to school."
Floral tributes lay close to the scene today.
One card attached to a teddy bear said: "To the little ones lost so tragically.
"There are now three more stars in the sky. I hope the angels are taking care of you."
Emergency services had arrived at the scene after a 999 caller reported the smell of gas.
Ambulance crews and police also headed to the house in the Slateford area of the city and discovered the harrowing scene.
One shaken neighbour told how he watched Riggi plunge from the balcony after a handyman stumbled on the chilling bloodbath inside the house.
The 21-year-old, who didn't want to be named, said: "I was sitting in my living room and I heard screaming. It was really bad, big screaming - the sort you would only do if a death or something very, very bad had happened. I went outside and I saw her on the balcony.
"I went into the house and there was a smell of gas. A handyman who was with me went upstairs and I went outside.
"When the handyman came back out again he was crying. I don't know what he saw - and I don't want to know."
The neighbour told how other worried locals pleaded with Riggi not to jump - then tried to save her as she crashed to the ground.
He said: "She was standing on the balcony.
"She was holding her arms, like she was already injured. She was crying and screaming.
"There were about five of us standing, saying to her 'don't do it, don't jump'. Then she jumped off.
"My neighbour tried to catch her and she kind of landed in his arms. She was lying on the floor and I left the scene - it was all just too much for me."
Investigation ... police officers outside scene of yesterday's stabbing horror
Engineering student Fatth Hamami, 19, lives around 100 yards from the townhouses where the tragedy happened. He said: "I was asleep in bed when I heard a bang - it was really loud, it was massive.
"I jumped up and ran outside. I could see smoke coming out of the second floor window - it was really thick.
"The emergency services were here really quickly and they moved us all inside the cordon. I saw the woman in the back of the ambulance. She was knocked out and very still."
Last night Lothian and Borders Police confirmed a criminal investigation had been launched into the deaths of tragic youngsters Gianluca - known as Luca - Augustino, also called Austin, and Cecilia. Riggi had fled with the kids from her home on July 11 - sparking a major cop search.
Two days later the Court of Session made an order preventing the children being taken out of the country and demanding the handover of their passports.
Grampian Police appealed to the public for help and other police forces became involved after reports of sightings in Ayrshire, Lothian and Cambridge.
Area ... where tragedy happened
Riggi - who also calls herself Mrs Butimore and has family in the US - was finally traced, along with the children, to a friend's flat in Edinburgh on July 21. But she disappeared again.
Riggi objected to her estranged husband seeing their children. Police were last night speaking to Pasquale, after he was traced in Aberdeen. They said he was not being interviewed as a suspect.
There were two saloon cars parked outside the home Riggi shared with the children, Mosslea Cottage at Skene. A policeman opened the door and said: "Pasquale won't be making a comment."
A Lothian and Borders spokesman said: "The deaths of three primary school aged children are being treated as suspicious. A criminal investigation is under way.
"The results of the post mortems are awaited to determine the cause of deaths."
He added: "Emergency services were called to an address in Slateford Road around 3pm following the reports of a suspected gas explosion and a fire. We can now confirm there was no gas explosion.
"A fire in the first floor of the three-storey house was extinguished and the property made safe. The investigation into the cause of this tragedy is in its early stages."
A Lothian fire services spokesman said last night: "We were called to a report of a possible gas explosion in Slateford Road.
"Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished a small fire on the first floor of the building."
The Scottish Ambulance Service added: "We can confirm that three children died at the scene.
"An adult woman was conveyed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment."
Warm Regard, Sara Pandian
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