A mother has admitting stabbing to death her three kids in Edinburgh last year.
Theresa Riggi killed her eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke and her five-year-old daughter Cecilia at their home.
The tragedy occurred as Riggi and her estranged husband Pasquale Riggi were battling for custody of the children at the Court of Session.
The children’s bodies were discovered after a gas explosion last August at their home.
Riggi, 47, pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of her children on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The American-born woman originally faced three murder charges but she admitted the lesser charges during a hearing this morning.
Prosecutors had alleged that the children were repeatedly struck on the body with a knife or knives between August 2 and 4 last year.
After the explosion, Riggi was found badly injured after appearing to fall from a second-floor balcony while the children’s bodies were found inside.
Riggi has also been accused of recklessly causing the gas explosion.
Speaking after the tragedy last year, the children’s father, oil engineer Pasquale, 46, said: “You are paralysed with grief. You are not sure what to do next.”
He said: ‘The hardest moment without a doubt was when I first found out. Your life is all about your children, you have plans and you have dreams for them.
“In one instant, that’s gone.
“The reality of it all is difficult to take all at once. You can’t even get your head around it.
“The difficult part, obviously, is seeing constant reminders on a daily basis in front of you – it’s playing out in the newspapers and on TV.”
