Jessica McCarty sentenced to life in prison after admitting she killed her children

A Florida mom was sentenced to life in prison after admitting to killing her three young children in March. Jessica McCarty, 33, cried as she pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder on Thursday at the Brevard County Courthouse in Viera, Florida.

A Florida mom was sentenced to life in prison after admitting to killing her three young children in March.

Jessica McCarty, 33, cried as she pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder on Thursday at the Brevard County Courthouse in Viera, Florida.

By pleading guilty, McCarty was able to avoid trial and the death penalty. Many of her family members were pleased with the deal and believe that life in prison is a harsher sentence.

McCarty killed her three children inside her Palm Bay home on March 20 and tried to take her own life with a knife before calling 911 to say that her children were dead.

Police say that Lacey McCarty, seven, was drowned in a bathtub, and that her brothers Phillip McCarty, six, and Christopher Swist, five months, were strangled with cords around their necks. 

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Jessica McCarty, 33, of Palm Bay, Florida, admitted to killing her three young children in court on Thursday in a plea deal

Jessica McCarty, 33, of Palm Bay, Florida, admitted to killing her three young children in court on Thursday in a plea deal

By taking the plea deal, McCarty was sentenced to life in prison rather than going through a trial and facing the death penalty

By taking the plea deal, McCarty was sentenced to life in prison rather than going through a trial and facing the death penalty

McCarty conceived Phillip and Lacey McCarty with her former husband, Phillip McCarty, before their relationship ended. She conceived her youngest, Christopher Swist, with 30-year-old Christopher Swist, who she was in a relationship with at the time of the murders.

McCarty told police officers that she didn't deserve to live after the alleged deed as she was taken to the emergency room.

The fathers of McCarty’s children were in the courtroom for the hearing on Thursday and said they felt that a life sentence was harsher than death.

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The State Attorney’s Office and McCarty’s defense team agreed that life in prison as the right decision.

‘For someone who is sentenced to death, that's a process for the survivors of a homicide to go through,’ prosecutor William Respess told Click Orlando. ‘They didn’t want to go through that.’

McCarty’s defense attorney, Mike Pirolo, said that a trial would have been a very lengthy process for the victims’ family to go through.

‘These families need time to heal, and hopefully they will start today,’ he told Click Orlando.

Though McCarty had a history of drug abuse, it was her mental illness that was blamed for the murders, as it was overlooked by mental health professionals.

McCarty wept in court as she pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for killing seven-year-old Lacey McCarty, six-year-old Phillip McCarty and five-month-old Christopher Swist on March 20

McCarty wept in court as she pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for killing seven-year-old Lacey McCarty, six-year-old Phillip McCarty and five-month-old Christopher Swist on March 20

The fathers of McCarty’s children were in the courtroom for the hearing on Thursday and said they felt that a life sentence was harsher than death. Pictured right is Christopher Swist, the father to McCarty's youngest son also Christopher Swist, with an unidentified man

The fathers of McCarty’s children were in the courtroom for the hearing on Thursday and said they felt that a life sentence was harsher than death. Pictured right is Christopher Swist, the father to McCarty's youngest son also Christopher Swist, with an unidentified man

After the March 20 incident, McCarty was subdued by police outside of the home She was then placed in a suicide prevention vest after slitting her wrists and telling officers she wanted to die

After the March 20 incident, McCarty was subdued by police outside of the home and placed in a suicide prevention vest (right) after slitting her wrists and telling officers she wanted to die. Above, two mugshots of the mother

‘Jessica was failed by the mental health profession, where she desperately sought help, but it was never given,’ Patricia Null, McCarty's mother, said. ‘Now we are all paying the price for that.’

Pirolo said that McCarty’s treatment was ‘a complete failure of the mental health system’, adding that McCarty sought mental help just days before she killed her children.

‘Unfortunately we see this far too often, but hopefully this is another wakeup call that the mental health system needs help,’ he said.

Police said that McCarty called 911 after killing her children, and that her boyfriend, also Christopher Swist, 30, called after he arrived back at the home they shared.

The children had reportedly told their mother how much they loved her so much during the killings.

McCarty reportedly recalled her daughter Lacey: 'She kept telling me, 'I love you mommy', Florida Today reported in June.

She also texted photos of the bloody house to her partner before he rushed home and called 911 while holding the youngest child in his arms.

Before the killings, McCarty was reportedly having problems with her then-boyfriend, Christopher Swist. Pictured above, McCarty poses with Swist and her three children, Lacey (right), Phillip (center) and Christopher (in McCarty's arms)

Before the killings, McCarty was reportedly having problems with her then-boyfriend, Christopher Swist. Pictured above, McCarty poses with Swist and her three children, Lacey (right), Phillip (center) and Christopher (in McCarty's arms)

McCarty had her first two children with her former husband Phillip McCarty (left) before their relationship ended

McCarty had her first two children with her former husband Phillip McCarty (left) before their relationship ended

Swist (pictured), pictured with his son, was texted photos of the bloody house before he drove home and called 911 to the scene

Swist (pictured), pictured with his son, was texted photos of the bloody house before he drove home and called 911 to the scene

The baby was on life support for two days before being declared dead at a local hospital.

Swist and McCarty, who had her first two children with husband Phillip McCarty, had been having relationship problems in the lead up to the killings.

The mother had attempted suicide at least twice before, and told investigators that she had been raped twice, including once when she was seven.

'Just give me the death penalty, right here, right now. I wanted to stab myself very badly. I've wanted to kill myself for a long time,' Palm Bay Detective Lewis Jones reported she said on the day of the killings.

A report from the Department of Children and Families said that in 2009 McCarty was investigated for possible child neglect and labeled an 'intermediate' risk to her children because of her suicidal tendencies.

McCarty, who also previously pleaded guilty to stealing prescription pads to acquire painkillers, was ordered to go to counselling.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1 (800) 273-8255 

Body camera footage from the responding officers shows McCarty subdued by a bean bag gun and reportedly telling police to 'let me bleed'

Body camera footage from the responding officers shows McCarty subdued by a bean bag gun and reportedly telling police to 'let me bleed'

McCarty, who attempted to commit suicide at least twice before, left behind for her family. Above, an officer crouches above the mother

McCarty, who attempted to commit suicide at least twice before, left behind for her family. Above, an officer crouches above the mother

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