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Monica Bodden reporting
The drowning happened here at Belizean Beach. Just after midday, police retrieved the tiny bodies of 3 young children - 4 year old Triana, 3 year old Thomas, and 1 year old Trinaya Teul. The bodies of the 3 siblings were discovered near these mangroves. Their mother 22 year old Felicia Chen was seen walking out to sea – It is a crime that is unthinkable for most people. But this deeply disturbed 22 year old mother drowned her 3 young children – including her one year old baby –and then was attempting to drown herself.

The incident unfolded in front of Chen's 6 year old daughter. Trina Tuel- who managed to escaped death from her own mother.The little girl reportedly ran away from what was happening and made her way to the highway to search for help. One neighbor noticed the 6 year old child walking alone on the road.

Voice of: Concerned Resident
"I saw the baby going up the road when I heard the dog barking. I noticed she was by herself, so I came downstairs to see. At that same time my niece from accross the road asked me where the baby was going, and I told her I didn't know. I called for her and she stopped so I went to meet her."

Monica Bodden
"You'd say the child was about what age?"

Voice of: Concerned Resident
"About 5 years old, So I asked her 'Where are you going?' She said she was going to Ladyville. So I told her that this isn't the way to Ladyville. So I told her 'Let me take you by the police'. She said 'No, no - I have to go because my mom is trying to kill herself back there.' I took her to the Police booth and told the police what happened. The child was crying, wet and muddy. The Police men asked the BDF for assistance with the lady in the sea. I noticed the baby had a bag and a baby's bottle was in there, so I asked her for who it was, and she said it was for the baby. She then said, 'But the baby is already dead because my mom already killed baby'.

6 year old Trina was soaked with water and had mud all over her tiny body. According to police, Chen took all her four children and walked with them into the sea until all three were drowned. Trina - her 6 year old child who is the eldest, managed to run out of the sea.

Voice of: Concerned Resident
"The BDF and a young man were bringing the mother. She was crying, and the police officer spoke to her. They started running into that direction (to my right). Next, I saw the police men bringing out the other babies, dead already. When the young man came with the third child - it was the baby and she was already dead. The police man pumped to check the baby, but she was already blue in her face."

Monica Bodden
"Could you describe the mother's reaction?"

Voice of: Concerned Resident
"She was crying hysterically. I couldn't hear what she was saying because of all the crying."

Chen resides with her mother at their home in 8 miles. In an interview with the media, Protasia Chen mentioned that her daughter showed no signs of distress. She fed her babies as normal and then got them ready to take a bus with the intentions of visiting their father in Belize City.

Chen was seen exiting a bus with her 4 children at the mile 6 checkpoint. That bus was traveling from Belize City in a westbound direction between the hours of 9 and 10 Saturday morning. Neighbors saw the mother and children walking towards the beach area.

Reporter
"When your daughter left, did you notice anything strange with her?"

Protasia Chen - Grandmother
"Nothing strange, because when I woke up yesterday morning, she was already preparing breakfast for the children, after that she gave them a bath. She sent the oldest one to ask me for money of $1.50, so I gave her $1.00 more because it's four of them. When she asked me for the money, I gave her it, but I didn't know she was going to do this."

Reporter
"She didn't tell you the reason she needed the $1.50?"

Protasia Chen
"It was for passage to go down."

Reporter
"To do what - where was she going?"

Protasia Chen
"I thought she was going to see her boyfriend for him to see the baby."

Reporter
"What time you got the news that this happened?"

Protasia Chen
"After lunch because we had just finished eating. I didn't see her before she left because I went into my room. When I asked my daughter-in-law if my daughter had left already she said yes. I told her that she didn't say she goodbye because they usually come to me to say goodbye. When the police told me this I thought she had gone to see her boyfriend. I didn't know she was going to do that. She didn't show any signs that she was going to do this."

Chen had been separated from her children's father for a while now. Many believe her behavior on Saturday was caused by troubles she was having with the man, who did not want the responsibility of her children.

Reporter
"She looked happy, normal?"

Protasia Chen
"She was talking to her kids, bathe them and took out their clothes. I heard she told the kids that they were going to see their dad. The little boy jumped up because he was going to see his dad. It's been a long time since the dad has come to check on them."

Reporter
"Were they having any trouble?"

Protasia Chen
"Yes - she was telling me that the kids father was working, but he wasn't giving her any money. She said that the boyfriend is always drunk, and he would only give her $5. She said 'What will $5 do for me?' I gave my daughter everything and I gave my grandkids everything that I could have."

Reporter
"They had separated?"

Protasia Chen
"She came here to live with me because he used to beat her. I am their mother, I will never chase my kids out through the door."

Reporter
"How was she with her children? Did she love them?"

Protasia Chen
"She loved them, but it's the things that the boyfriend did to her. Sometimes she would get mad and would beat them, and I would tell her it's not the babies fault, it's the man's fault."

The interview with the children's' grandmother was courtesy KREM TV. And so what drives someone to do this? Later on we'll talk to a clinical psychologist about the extraordinary forces which could make a mother kill her own.