Father pleads 'not guilty' in killing of his 3 children

THE FATHER accused of allegedly killing his three children last week entered a not guilty plea to first degree murder charges during his arraignment hearing in a Yolo County Superior Court today (Sept. 18).

Baby Lucas, Julia and Kelvin Hodges

ROBERT HODGES, 32, was charged with three counts of premeditated murder for the deaths of Kelvin Hodges, 11, Julia Hodges, 9, and Lucas Hodges, 7 months. He also faces one count of attempted murder for the alleged assault on his wife, Mai Sheng Hodges.

In an earlier press conference earlier, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said the two older siblings had been killed with a belt. Reisig did not say how the infant was killed, other than there was no apparent weapon involved. He also said that Robert Chokes allegedly  

choked his wife, Mai Sheng Hodges.

Neighbors told reporters that Robert Hodges' wife escaped his choking attempt and ran out of the apartment, that was when he turned his attention to his children.

Mai Sheng Hodges said in a Facebook post that her husband was a loving father. Investigators did not reveal the possible motive.

Robert Hodges was driving in the area when he was arrested Sept. 12 by a California Highway Patrolman.

Hodges remains in Yolo County Jail without bail and will return to court Oct. 2 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

A Go Fund Me campaign for Mai Sheng Hodges had raised nearly $30,000 by Monday afternoon and a separate account has been opened for funeral expenses at Bank of America.

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3 siblings killed; father detained

Kelvin Hodges with his sister, Julie and baby brother Lucas were found dead Wednesday night.

OVER 2000 family, friends, fellow students and strangers gathered Thursday night to express and share their grief over the death of three children, two of which were students at Southport Elementary School near Sacramento, California.

Nearly 2,000 people were in attendance for the vigil, all gathered to bid farewell to the children -- Kelvin, age 11, Julie, age 9, and Lucas, age 7 months, who were found dead Wednesday (Sept. 13) night.

Their father, Robert Hodges, 32, of West Sacramento, was taken into custody a few hours later in another part of West Sacramento by California Highway Patrol officers. He is expected to be arraigned Monday.

Details as to how they were killed have not yet been released. Attempts to revive the children by first responders failed.

"Something like this is very disturbing," West Sacramento police Sgt. Roger Kinney said.

"The officers are absolutely impacted, along with the firefighters, and certainly the family, the neighbors -- this call is going to have quite a bit of emotion. It's horrific, and it's very difficult to deal with. This is going to take not hours, not days, it's going to take a long time to come to grips with what happened there."

Kinney alleged that the mother was a victim of domestic violence. No details about what happened to her were released.

"Obviously, she's traumatized, and it's going to take some time to find out what's going on," Kinney said.

Today (Sept. 15), the mother posted an emotional entry on her Facebook page:

Thank you everyone for all your loves and support. It mean so much to me and my 3 children's. As for now I would like some quiet and privacy as I try to live through each day without my precious, loving children's.

There's many stories out there that aren't true of what happen. I still can't get the picture out of my head. For those that know Robbie know he was once a loving and caring husband and father to our children. I was never in abusive marriage, he had always been a caring and loving person, but for whatever reason went thru his mind, heart to do this I can never imagine why. And I ask myself everyday "why?"

"Heavenly Father, please hold my 3 babies into your home where they are warm, love and care forever. I know someday we will cross again. Until that day please know I love, miss, care and think of them everyday and night." Amen.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.___________________________________________________________________________