The Tragic Case of Rachel Henry: She Smothered Her Three Children, Then Staged The Scene To Look Like They Were Asleep

In 2020, Rachel Henry, an Arizona mother, confessed to suffocating her three young children, as reported by PEOPLE.

This heartbreaking case, which shocked the nation, raised questions about mental health, addiction, and the failings of support systems. 

On February 4, 2025, Henry was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. 

Let’s delve into the details of this tragic true crime story.

The Night of the Crime

On the night of January 20, 2020, Rachel Henry was at home with her three young children: Zane Henry (3), Miraya Henry (almost 2), and Catalaya Rios (7 months).

Henry was 22 years old at the time and lived with her kids in a quiet Phoenix neighborhood near 24th Street and Southern Avenue.

Also present in the house were the children’s father, Pedro Rios, and their great-aunt, Pearla Rebolledo. 

Sadly, what unfolded that night would later become one of the most horrifying crimes in the history of Phoenix, Arizona. 

According to police reports, Henry decided to suffocate all her kids that night for reasons best known to her.

The tragedy began when Henry suffocated her oldest daughter, Miraya, while they were playing, as reported by Fox10 Phoenix. 

She placed her hand over the toddler’s mouth and held it there until the child stopped breathing. 

Her 3-year-old son, Zane, witnessed the act and began hitting and yelling at his mother in an attempt to stop her. 

Henry tried to grab him but was interrupted when Pedro and Pearla entered the room.  

After some time passed, Henry took Zane to a bedroom, where she sang him a lullaby in an attempt to calm him down. 

As she sang, she smothered him with her hand, even as the little boy fought back. 

Finally, she turned her attention to her youngest child, 7-month-old Catalaya. 

Henry fed the baby a bottle until she fell asleep, and then suffocated her as well.  

Once all three children were dead, Henry carefully placed their bodies on the couch, positioning them to make it appear as though they were sleeping. 

She covered them with blankets and arranged them side by side, staging a heartbreakingly peaceful scene that masked the horror of what had just occurred.  

Pearla Rebolledo, unaware of what had transpired, later entered the room and noticed the children were unresponsive. 

She immediately tried to administer CPR to baby Catalaya while urging Henry to call 911. 

However, Henry remained eerily calm, sitting nearby and staring at her phone, as reported by Fox10 Phoenix. 

Pearla eventually made the call herself, reporting the deaths to the local police department.  

When first responders arrived at the scene, they were met with a sight that would haunt them for years to come. 

Henry, still at the scene, initially told officers she had put the children down for a nap and thought they were sleeping. 

However, after an investigation of the crime scene, her story unraveled. 

She eventually confessed to suffocating each child, describing the chilling details of her actions.  

According to the children’s great aunt, Pearla Rebolledo, she was in the house at the time Henry smothered her children. 

However, she never suspected Henry could suffocate the kids, expressing shock and disbelief at the unimaginable tragedy that unfolded.

The night ended with Henry being taken into custody.

Zane Henry, Miraya Henry,and Catalaya Rios

Rachel Henry’s Trobled Past and Possible Motives

As the criminal investigation into the killings progressed, detectives uncovered Henry’s troubled history. 

According to Police reports, she had a long-standing struggle with methamphetamine addiction.

She also had a history of domestic disputes in Oklahoma, where she had lived before moving to Arizona. 

In Oklahoma, child welfare authorities had previously removed the children from her care due to concerns related to her drug use and unstable behavior. 

Despite these red flags, the children still remained in her care after she moved to Arizona.

While no clear motive was ever definitively established, the investigation pointed to a combination of mental health struggles, addiction, and a lack of support as potential contributing factors. 

Henry’s history of substance abuse and her prior interactions with child welfare services highlighted systemic gaps that may have played a role in the tragedy.

The Aftermath of this tragic crime deeply affected everyone involved, from the crime scene investigators to the first responders. 

Many required therapy after working on the case, as the sheer brutality of the crime and the ages of the victims left a lasting emotional impact.

Additionally, the local police department and child welfare agencies faced scrutiny over whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy

Rachel Henry

Legal Proceedings: Rachel Henry’s Trial And Sentencing 

The legal proceedings in the case of Rachel Henry began shortly after her arrest on January 21, 2020. 

She was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, a Class One Felony, and Dangerous Crime Against Children, in connection with the deaths of her three children: Zane Henry (3), Miraya Henry (almost 2), and Catalaya Rios (7 months).  

Henry initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

However, in 2024, she changed her plea to guilty as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. 

Under the terms of the agreement, the prosecution dropped its request for the death penalty, and Henry was sentenced to three consecutive terms of natural life in prison without the possibility of parole.  

The sentencing hearing took place on February 4, 2025, in Maricopa County Superior Court, according to local news outlets.

During the hearing, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell condemned Henry’s actions, stating, “It’s hard to comprehend how any parent could take the life of their own.” 

Henry’s defense team argued that factors such as postpartum depression, substance abuse, and a lack of support contributed to her actions. 

They acknowledged the gravity of the crime but claimed that these factors contributed to her actions and that Henry had expressed remorse for her crimes

However, the prosecution disagreed.

They emphasized the premeditated nature of the crime, pointing to Henry’s deliberate efforts to stage the scene and her calm demeanor after the murders.

Henry, who appeared in court wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackles, declined to make a statement during the sentencing hearing. 

Her defense team stated that she “sorrowfully” accepted her future and was prepared to spend the rest of her life in prison.  

A restitution hearing was scheduled for April 4, 2025, where prosecutors requested $30,000 in restitution. 

Henry was not expected to attend this hearing.  

Rachel Henry would spend the rest of her life behind bars, providing a measure of closure for the families and communities affected by the tragedy.

Here is a bodycam video from the night of Rachel Henry's arrest from Law and Crime.

Stay tuned to our blog or our free email newsletter for more true crime stories

Got a tip about a crime? Please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS immediately. 

You can also see how to report a crime anonymously online if you wish to remain anonymous.