Housewife arrested as suspect in murder of her own children

A 35-year old allegedly depresssed housewife, Ismiati, was arrested at her home in Bekasi on Friday on suspicion of having murdered her own two young children - Mutiara Yusuf (2) and Aldi Rasyid (four months).

The bodies of the two infants were found by a neighbor at around 7.00 am local time on Friday , Commissioner Budi Sartono of the Bekasi Police said.

The children`s hands were tied together with rubber bands, their bodies were wet and covered by a piece of wet cloth when they were found. Ismiati was believed to have drowned her children in the water basin of the family`s bathroom.

"The mother is suspected of having killed the two children by submerging them in the bathroom`s water basin. However, we have to conduct a further investigation to prove it," he said.

The police sent the dead bodies to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital and took Ismiati to their office for questioning.

Sartono said police could not yet determine what the motive for the murders was because they had difficulty making Ismiati talk. When questions were put to her , she often gave wayward answers and it was therefore believed she was suffering from extreme depression.

"To make sure that the two children`s mother is suffering from depression, we will take her to a psychiatrist," Sartono said.