A New Cassel mother is accused of murdering her three small children after they were found dead Sunday in her apartment.

Police say someone summoned 911 responders to the Prospect Avenue home after 8 a.m. Authorities say the mother, Leatrice Brewer, 27, led them to the children, who were found in a bed. The victims are 18 months old, 5 years old and 6 years old. Police will not say how the children died, but they say Brewer murdered them.

Innocent Demesyeux, the father of the two younger children, says he was fighting for custody of his kids. He says everything he was fighting for is gone now, and he blames Brewer.

Dozens of friends and family of the victims say Brewer was a troubled woman, and that the triple murder was a tragedy waiting to happen. A neighbor says there were signs something was wrong in the home. "She neglected them. She left them in the house all the time," said Cornisha Robinson. "I saw her last week pushing a stroller, but there wasn't any baby in there."

The children's great-grandmother lashed out at reporters at the scene.

Police say they are trying to determine if Brewer tried to commit suicide after committing the murders. They say she may have tried to jump out the window of the second-story apartment.

Brewer has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder.