Arkansas Nurse Executed, Murd3red Her Own Ch!ldren Ages , Took 18 Mins Finding Veins in Her Wrists

On the evening of November 4th, 1997, in a small apartment in Sherwood, Arkansas, a licensed practical nurse named Christina Riggs gave her two children something to drink. The liquid contained crushed anti-depressant pills. 5-year-old Justin and 2-year-old Shelby drank what their mother gave them because children trust their parents to keep them safe.

 By morning, both children would be dead, killed by the woman who brought them into the world. Sherwood was a quiet suburb of Little Rock with a population of just a few thousand people. It was the kind of place where neighbors knew each other and children played outside. The town had recorded only one homicide in 1996 and none the year before that.

What happened at 815 Bronco Lane would be the first killing of 1997 and it would shock a community that thought it was immune to such violence. What made this case different from other murders was not just that a mother killed her own children. It was what happened after. Christina Riggs did not try to hide what she had done.

 She did not claim innocence or accident. She confessed immediately when she woke up in a hospital bed 19 hours after trying to kill herself alongside her children. She told police exactly how she had done it. The sedatives, the injection that burned her son’s veins and made him scream, the pillow she pressed over both their faces until they stopped fighting.

At her trial in June 1998, she did not let her lawyers fight for her life. When the jury found her guilty of capital murder and moved to the penalty phase to decide if she should die or spend life in prison, Christina stood up and told them what she wanted. I want to die, she said. I want to be with my babies.

 I want you to give me the death penalty. The jury gave her what she asked for. People still argue about whether the state of Arkansas executed Christina Riggs or helped her commit suicide. Civil rights groups called it stateass assisted suicide. Her lawyer criticized the execution and said the state should not kill people who want to die.

 The prosecutor said she was manipulative and self-centered and that asking for death was just another way to control the narrative. But before the execution, before the debates about mental illness and stateass assisted suicide, before the death sentence and the trial and the appeals that Christina refused to pursue, there was the night of November 4th, 1997.

There was a mother who believed killing her children was mercy. There was a grandmother who found a scene that would haunt her for the rest of her life. There were investigators who had to make sense of something that made no sense at all. This is the story of what happened that night and everything that came after.

 The story of what happened that summer starts not with the crimes themselves, but with the people who did them. If you’re drawn to stories of justice, betrayal, and the people who reach a point of no return, make sure to subscribe to No Way Out. This is where true crime meets truth. Christina Marie Thomas was born on September 2nd, 1971 in Lton, Oklahoma.

Her early years began in this military town where families came and went with postings to Fort Sill. The Thomas family later moved to Oklahoma City where Christina would spend most of her childhood. From the outside, life appeared ordinary, but inside the home, Christina faced experiences that would shape the rest of her life.

 Between the ages of 7 and 13, her stepbrother abused her. The abuse happened repeatedly over those 6 years. No one intervened. No one stopped it. At age 13, a neighbor also abused Christina. She kept these experiences to herself, internalizing the trauma. Her family later described her as someone who held feelings inside rather than sharing them with others.

 By age 14, Christina began looking for ways to cope. She started drinking alcohol. She smoked cigarettes. She experimented with marijuana. These substances became her escape from the pain she carried. Christina also struggled with her weight. By her teenage years, she weighed significantly more than her peers.

 The extra weight brought additional challenges in a world that judged appearances harshly. She later recalled feeling that boys only paid attention to her weight, not to who she was as a person. I felt that no boy liked me because of my weight, she would later explain. So, I became sexually promiscuous because I thought that was the only way I could have a boyfriend.

This belief led her down a path of seeking validation through physical relationships rather than emotional connections. The lack of genuine connection in her relationships had consequences. At age 16, Christina discovered she was pregnant. The father was not someone committed to building a life with her. He was not prepared for the responsibility of parenthood.

Christina faced a decision that would haunt her for years. She was still in high school living with her family without the means to care for a child. In January 1988, she gave birth to a baby boy. She made the difficult choice to place him for adoption. The baby went to another family who could provide the stability she could not.

Giving up her first child left a mark on Christina that never healed. The experience of carrying a baby, giving birth, and then letting go created a wound that stayed with her. Despite these challenges, Christina completed high school. She graduated and looked toward her future. She wanted to do something meaningful with her life.

 She wanted a career that would allow her to help others and support herself financially. Christina chose nursing as her profession. She enrolled in a licensed practical nursing program, a more accessible path than becoming a registered nurse. The training was intensive but shorter. It would allow her to enter the workforce more quickly and start earning money.

 The decision to become a nurse seemed fitting for someone who had experienced so much pain. Nurses care for others in their most vulnerable moments. They provide comfort and medical treatment. For Christina, this profession offered a sense of purpose and the possibility of redemption. She completed her training and became a licensed practical nurse.

 This certification opened doors to employment in hospitals, nursing homes, and home health care. Christina was ready to start her career and move forward with her life. But the traumas of her childhood, the substance abuse, the low self-esteem, and the loss of her first child had created patterns that would follow her.

 As she stepped into adulthood, these unresolved issues remained just beneath the surface. Waiting to resurface when life became difficult again. With her nursing certification in hand, Christina found work at a Veterans Administration hospital in Oklahoma City. She cared for men who had served their country, providing medical attention and comfort during their treatment.

 The work was steady and provided the income she needed. For a young woman starting out on her own, the job represented stability and independence she had not known before. In October 1991, Christina met Timothy Thompson. He was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, a major military installation in Oklahoma City. The base employed thousands of people and served as a hub for aircraft maintenance.

 Military personnel and civilian contractors moved through the area constantly. Timothy and Christina began dating. For Christina, who had struggled with relationships and self-worth, the attention from a military man felt validating. She hoped this relationship would be different from her past experiences. She imagined a future with Timothy, perhaps even marriage and a family.

 Christina became pregnant. When she shared the news with Timothy, his reaction was not what she had hoped for. Timothy denied the baby was his. He refused to accept responsibility for the pregnancy. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with Christina or the child she was carrying. The rejection devastated Christina.

 Once again, she found herself pregnant and alone. The father of her baby had walked away without looking back. Timothy returned to Minnesota, his home state, and cut off all contact with Christina. She would raise this child as a single mother. On June 7th, 1992, Christina gave birth to a son. She named him Justin Dalton Thomas.

 Unlike her first pregnancy, Christina chose to keep this baby. She was older now, had a job, and believed she could provide for a child. Justin was born healthy. He had his mother’s features and a strong personality from the start. Christina loved her son deeply. After giving up her first child for adoption, keeping Justin felt like a second chance at motherhood.

 But raising a child alone while working as a nurse proved difficult. Christina had to arrange child care when she worked. Her mother, Carol Thomas, helped when she could, but she had her own job and responsibilities. The costs of daycare, diapers, formula, and other necessities added up quickly. Christina’s financial situation was tight.

 Her salary as a licensed practical nurse was modest. After paying rent, utilities, and child care, little money remained for extras. She began to feel the strain of single motherhood. During this period, Christina reconnected with someone from her past. John Riggs was a sailor she had dated before. They had gone out previously, but the relationship had not worked out.

 Now with Christina raising Justin alone, Jon came back into her life. Jon showed interest in both Christina and her son. He spent time with them and seemed willing to be part of their lives. For Christina, his presence meant she would not have to raise Justin entirely on her own. She saw the possibility of creating a family.

 John Riggs moved in with Christina. They lived together with baby Justin, trying to build a life as a family unit. Jon accepted Justin as if he were his own son, even though he was not the biological father. This arrangement gave Christina hope that her life was finally coming together. In 1993, Christina and Jon decided to marry.

 The wedding took place in July of that year. Christina was now 21 years old with a one-year-old son and a new husband. She believed this marriage would provide the stability she had always wanted. The wedding day came with both joy and tragedy. On their wedding night, Christina suffered a miscarriage.

 She had been pregnant with Jon’s biological child, but the pregnancy ended suddenly. The loss was painful for both of them. The wedding day came with both joy and tragedy. On their wedding night, Christina suffered a miscarriage. She had been pregnant with Jon’s biological child, but the pregnancy ended suddenly. The loss was painful for both of them.

 Despite this setback, Christina and Jon remained together. They continued building their life in Oklahoma City. Jon worked his job and Christina continued nursing. Justin grew from a baby into a toddler, learning to walk and talk. Christina hoped that her family would expand again. She wanted Justin to have siblings.

 She wanted to create the family unit she had never fully experienced in her own childhood. She imagined a home filled with children where love would overcome the difficulties of her past. That hope became reality sooner than expected. The stage was set for both joy and eventual heartbreak. About a year into their marriage, Christina discovered she was pregnant again.

 Justin was now 2 years old, and the family seemed to be finding its rhythm. Christina received prenatal care throughout the pregnancy and prepared for the arrival of her second child. In December 1994, she gave birth to a daughter. They named her Shelby Alexis Riggs. Justin, now two and a half, had a baby sister. Christina’s wish for Justin to have siblings had come true.

 Shelby’s arrival brought new joy to the household. Christina took maternity leave from her nursing job, staying home with the newborn and her toddler son. The house was full of the sounds of children. Christina now had two children to care for. And for a brief moment, her dream of a complete family seemed within reach. But beneath the surface, the marriage between Christina and John was showing cracks.

Jon worked and provided financially, but tensions grew between the couple. They argued about money, about parenting, about their future together. J’s relationship with Justin became a particular source of conflict. Justin was an active child with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. He required constant supervision and patience.

 Managing his behavior proved challenging for both parents. The situation came to a breaking point one day when Jon lost his temper with Justin. The little boy did something that angered Jon. Instead of using appropriate discipline, Jon struck Justin in the stomach. The blow was hard enough to cause injury. Christina took Justin for medical attention.

 The doctor noted the injury. This incident became the catalyst for Christina to make a decision about her marriage. She could not remain married to someone who would physically harm her son. Christina filed for divorce from John Riggs. The marriage had lasted only about 2 years. The divorce was finalized and Jon moved out.

Christina was once again a single mother, now with two children instead of one. Both children had different fathers. Justin’s father, Timothy Thompson, had abandoned them years earlier and lived in Minnesota. Shelby’s father, John Riggs, was now her ex-husband. Neither man was actively involved in providing consistent support for their children.

 Child support payments were irregular at best. Christina could not count on receiving money from either father. This meant she had to support both children entirely on her nursing salary. Christina’s mother, Carol Thomas, lived in Sherwood, Arkansas, a suburb of Little Rock. Carol worked in the food service department at Baptist Hospital.

 She suggested that Christina consider moving to Sherwood to be closer to family. The idea made sense to Christina. Living near her mother would mean built-in help with child care. Carol could watch the children when Christina worked. The cost of living in Sherwood might also be lower than in Oklahoma City. In 1995, Christina made the decision to relocate.

She packed up her belongings and moved with Justin and Shelby to Sherwood. They found an apartment in the small community. Sherwood had a population of just a few thousand people and was known as a quiet, safe suburb. Christina quickly found employment at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, the same facility where her mother worked.

 The hospital hired her as a licensed practical nurse. She began working shifts, caring for patients, and earning the money needed to support her family. The move to Sherwood seemed like a fresh start. Christina had her mother nearby for support. She had a good job at a respected hospital. Her children were young and healthy.

 On paper, everything looked promising. But Christina’s mental health was suffering. She had experienced years of trauma, starting with childhood abuse. She had given up her first baby. She had been rejected by two men who fathered her children. She had divorced after her husband hurt her son. Christina began taking Prozac, an anti-depressant medication.

 Her doctor prescribed it to help manage depression. The medication provided some relief, but it could not fix the deeper problems in her life or erase the patterns established over years of difficulty. As Christina settled into life in Sherwood, she tried to focus on the positive aspects of her situation. She had her children. She had her mother’s support.

She had a career in nursing that allowed her to provide for her family. These were real blessings, tangible reasons for hope. But hope does not pay bills. The positive aspects Christina tried to focus on were real enough. She worked at Baptist Hospital where she proved to be a capable nurse.

 Her mother, Carol, helped with child care when needed. Justin, now 3 years old, and baby Shelby were healthy. Yet, managing finances as a single mother with two young children proved harder than Christina anticipated. Licensed practical nurses earned moderate salaries, not high incomes. After taxes, Christina’s paycheck had to cover rent, utilities, food, clothing, medical expenses, and child care.

 Child care costs became the heaviest burden. When Christina worked, someone had to watch Justin and Shelby. Carol helped when she could, but she had her own work schedule at the hospital. Christina had to pay for professional daycare s services most days. The expense was substantial. full-time daycare for two children consumed a large portion of Christina’s income.

 She calculated the numbers repeatedly. The more hours she worked, the more she paid for someone else to watch her children. The math did not add up favorably. Christina remembered taking Shelby to daycare for the first time. The little girl cried when her mother prepared to leave. Shelby pressed her hands against the glass door, crying, “Mama, mama.

Christina drove away feeling guilt and sadness about leaving her daughter in the care of strangers. The emotional cost of working full-time while parenting alone weighed heavily on Christina. She felt torn between providing financially for her children and being present with them. She worried that she was failing at both.

 By 1997, Christina’s financial situation had deteriorated significantly. She was not just struggling to make ends meet anymore. She was drowning in expenses and debt. Her checking account was often overdrawn. She began writing checks she knew would bounce, hoping to cover them before the bank processed them. Christina’s car registration expired.

She could not afford to renew it. Her car insurance lapsed for the same reason. She drove illegally knowing that a traffic stop could result in tickets she could not pay or even impoundment of her vehicle. bills piled up unopened on her kitchen table, phone bills, utility bills, medical bills from the children’s doctor visits, collection notices.

 Christina felt paralyzed by the mounting debt. She could not see a way out. Christina later described her situation using a metaphor. I started out in a boat with a small hole, she said. But the hole kept getting bigger, sprank, and no matter how hard you bail, you keep sinking. Her mother, Carol, noticed something was wrong.

 She asked Christina directly what was troubling her. Christina did not fully share the extent of her problems. She kept her financial crisis largely to herself, perhaps out of shame or fear of judgment. Christina’s depression worsened. The Prozac she had been prescribed, an anti-depressant meant to balance brain chemistry and improve mood, no longer seemed effective.

 She felt overwhelmed by circumstances beyond her control. She saw no realistic solution to her problems. Meanwhile, she continued working at Baptist Hospital. In mid 1997, she changed positions. She left Baptist Hospital and began working at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock.

 She also took on additional shifts with a temporary nursing agency to earn extra money. The longer hours meant even more time away from Justin and Shelby. The child care costs increased proportionally. Christina was working more but not getting ahead financially. The situation felt impossible. Both children also had health issues that required attention and created additional expenses.

 Shelby suffered from recurring ear infections. The infections were painful and required doctor visits and antibiotics. Each medical appointment meant taking time off work and paying co-pays. Justin’s attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity made him challenging to care for. He required constant supervision.

 Some daycare providers found him difficult to manage. Carol Thomas later said that Justin was more than a handful. Christina felt increasingly isolated and desperate. She had no partner to share the burden. The fathers of her children were absent. Her mother helped but had her own life and limitations. Christina was essentially alone in managing two young children and insurmountable debt.

 Her thoughts turned dark. She began thinking about suicide as a way to escape her problems. The idea took root in her mind and grew stronger over time. She believed she had failed as a mother and as a person. Christina started planning. She worked at a hospital where medications were available. She had medical knowledge about which drugs could be lethal.

 She understood dosages and effects. The means to end her life were accessible through her workplace. As she planned her suicide, another thought entered her mind. What would happen to Justin and Shelby after she died? This question would not leave her alone. The question consumed Christina throughout the fall of 1997.

Every time she thought about ending her life, she confronted the same problem. Justin and Shelby would be left behind. two children, two different fathers. Justin’s father was Timothy Thompson, who had denied paternity and disappeared to Minnesota years earlier. Shelby’s father was John Riggs, Christina’s ex-husband, who had struck Justin hard enough to require medical attention.

Neither man was actively involved in the children’s lives. If Christina died, the children would likely be split up. They might go to their respective fathers in different states. they might be placed with different family members. Either way, Justin and Shelby would be separated. Christina could not bear this thought.

She imagined her children growing up apart, never seeing each other, losing the sibling bond they shared. She fixated on this scenario as if it were inevitable. She also worried about how her children would handle knowing their mother had killed herself. They would grow up with that knowledge.

 They would wonder why their mother chose death over staying with them. The stigma and trauma of maternal suicide would mark them forever. In Christina’s mind, these concerns became justifications for something unthinkable. She began to believe that her children would be better off dead than living without her. She convinced herself that killing them before killing herself was an act of mercy.

 This reasoning is not unusual in cases of philicide suicide. Parents who plan to end their own lives sometimes extend that plan to their children. They view their children as extensions of themselves rather than separate people with their own right to live. By late October 1997, Christina had decided that she and her children would die together.

She began planning the logistics. She worked at Arkansas Heart Hospital where she had access to medications. She knew which drugs would be necessary. She needed potassium chloride, which stops the heart. She needed morphine for pain management. She could obtain both drugs from the hospital. She also needed Eleville, an anti-depressant that could be lethal in large doses.

 She could get a prescription for that through a pharmacy. Christina started gathering the drugs she would need. She stole vials of potassium chloride from the hospital. She took morphine. She obtained syringes and needles. She filled a prescription for Elellville at a local pharmacy. She planned the timing carefully.

 She decided on November 4th, 1997. It would be her last day of work at Arkansas Heart Hospital. After her shift ended, she would go home and carry out her plan. In the days leading up to November 4th, Christina withdrew money from her checking account. She gave the money to her mother. This act was her way of helping Carol after she was gone.

She also began writing suicide notes. She wrote to her mother, Carol Thomas. She wrote to her sister, Rosanna Picket. She wrote to her ex-husband, John Riggs. In these notes, she explained her actions and asked for forgiveness. I hope one day you will forgive me for taking my life and the life of my children, she wrote.

 But I can’t live like this anymore. and I couldn’t bear to leave my children behind to be a burden on you or to be separated. These notes revealed her mindset. She genuinely believed she was protecting her children from a terrible future. She believed separation would damage them more than death. Her logic was warped by depression, but to her it made perfect sense.

 On November 3rd, 1997, Christina went through her day knowing what was coming. She had made her decision. The drugs were ready. The notes were written. Tomorrow would be the last day of her life and the last day of her children’s lives. November 4th, 1997 was a Tuesday. Christina Riggs woke up that morning knowing it would be her last day of life. She had made her decision.

 The medications were ready. The plan was set. She went through her morning routine. She got Justin and Shelby ready for the day. She fed them breakfast. She took them to daycare. Everything appeared normal from the outside. No one looking at Christina that morning would have guessed what she was planning. Christina went to work at Arkansas Heart Hospital for what would be her final shift. She performed her nursing duties.

She cared for patients. She worked alongside colleagues who had no idea what was in her mind. During her shift, Christina took the medications she needed from the hospital. She had already stolen potassium chloride and morphine on previous occasions, hiding the vials for later use. Today, she made sure she had everything necessary.

Potassium chloride is a drug used in medical settings to correct potassium deficiencies, but in undiluted form, and in large doses, it causes the heart to stop beating. This is why potassium chloride is one of the drugs used in lethal injection executions. Christina worked as a licensed practical nurse.

 She understood how drugs affected the body. She knew that potassium chloride would stop her children’s hearts. She knew that elevant would be lethal. She had the medical knowledge to plan death sufficiently. After her shift ended, Christina went to a pharmacy. She picked up her prescription for Eleville. The anti-depressant she had been taking for depression would now become the instrument of death.

 The pharmacist filled the prescription and handed over the bottle. Christina paid and left. She picked up Justin and Shelby from daycare. They got in the car for the drive home. The children did not know this would be their last afternoon alive. They were just glad to see their mother after a day apart.

 Christina drove them to their apartment at 8015 Bronco Lane in Sherwood. The duplex was located just blocks from the Sherwood Police Department. It was a quiet residential area where families lived and children played outside. Then they arrived Homer. The exact sequence of events during the afternoon and early evening was never fully documented.

 At some point, Christina began preparing. She filled a cup with water and dissolved elelts in it. She prepared the syringes with potassium chloride and morphine. She made sure the needles were ready. The suicide notes she had written earlier were ready to be placed where they would be found.

 She had written to her mother, Carol, explaining what she had done and asking for forgiveness. She had written to her sister and to her ex-husband, John. Around 10:00 that evening, Christina told Justin and Shelby to drink what she had prepared for them. The children obeyed. They drank the liquid even though it probably tasted bitter from the dissolved medication.

The Eleville worked quickly. Both children became drowsy. Justin went to his bed. Shelby went to hers. They fell asleep, sedated by the antid-depressant their mother had given them. Christina waited until she was certain they were deeply asleep. Then she took the syringe filled with potassium chloride, and went to Justin’s room.

 She injected the undiluted chemical into his neck. The result was not what Christina expected. in properly diluted form and given intravenously at the correct rate. Potassium chloride can be administered safely. But Christina injected it undiluted directly into Justin’s neck. The chemical burned his veins with intense pain. Justin woke up screaming.

He cried out, “It hurts. It hurts.” And called for his mother. “Mama, mama!” he screamed. Christina tried to inject him with morphine to stop the pain, but it did not work fast enough or effectively enough. Justin continued to scream and cry. Christina panicked. She had not anticipated this level of pain and suffering.

 She grabbed a pillow and pressed it over Justin’s face. Justin fought back, his small hands trying to push the pillow away. Christina pressed harder until Justin stopped moving. After Justin died, Christina went to Shelby’s room. She had seen how much pain the potassium chloride caused Justin. She decided not to inject Shelby with it.

 Instead, she went directly to the pillow method. She placed a pillow over Shelby’s face and pressed down. The 2-year-old woke up and struggled. Both children were dead. Christina moved their bodies from their individual beds to her own bedroom. She carried Justin first, then Shelby. She laid them side by side in her bed, their small bodies close together.

 She covered them with a blanket. She arranged their position so they looked peaceful as if they were simply sleeping. This action took time and care. Despite having just killed her children, Christina wanted them to look calm and comfortable. Now it was time for Christina to complete her plan. She had killed her children.

 Now she would kill herself. She would join them in death and they would be together forever. Christina took the bottle of Eleville tablets. She swallowed 28 pills. This was far more than a therapeutic dose. 28 tablets of Eloville constituted a potentially lethal overdose. But Christina wanted to be certain of death.

 The pills alone might not work or they might take too long. She also had the syringe filled with potassium chloride. She injected herself with enough undiluted potassium chloride to kill five people. She pushed the plunger down, forcing the chemical into her bloodstream. She expected her heart to stop beating within moments.

 The elev began to take effect. Christina felt dizzy. Her vision blurred. The room spun around her. She collapsed to the floor at the foot of her bed near where her children’s bodies lay. But the potassium chloride did not work as intended. Instead of entering her bloodstream and reaching her heart, the undiluted chemical burned through the injection site, it created a hole in her arm rather than dispersing through her veins.

 Because the potassium chloride did not enter her bloodstream properly, it did not stop her heart. The Eleville overdose caused her to lose consciousness, but it did not kill her either. Her body was resilient enough to survive the dose. Christina lay unconscious on her bedroom floor. The time was approximately 10:30 at night.

 Outside the apartment, Sherwood was quiet. Neighbors were in their own homes. No one knew what had just happened at 8:15 Bronco Lane. Hours passed. Christina remained unconscious on the floor. The elel kept her in a deep, unresponsive state. Her breathing was shallow, but continued. Her heart kept beating, though slowly.

 Justin and Shelby laid dead in Christina’s bed, covered with a blanket. Their small bodies were still. They would never wake up. They would never breathe again. Morning came. Christina did not wake up. She lay on the floor throughout the night and into the next day. Her body metabolized the ele slowly. Her vital signs remained weak but present.

November 5th, 1997 began as a normal Wednesday morning in Sherwood. People went to work. Children went to school. The sun rose on a clear autumn day. But inside one apartment, a scene of horror waited to be discovered. Christina had not shown up for work. She had not called in. Her employer tried to reach her but got no answer.

 This was unusual for Christina, who was generally reliable about her work schedule. Carol Thomas, Christina’s mother, also tried to reach her daughter. She called the apartment multiple times throughout the day. The phone rang unanswered. Carol grew increasingly worried as the hours passed without any response. Carol worked at the same hospital as Christina, but in a different department.

 She knew Christina’s work schedule and knew when Christina should have been at work. When her daughter did not show up and did not answer phone calls, Carol’s concern turned to alarm. By midafternoon on November 5th, Carol decided she needed to check on Christina in person. She drove to the apartment complex on Bronco Lane.

 She parked her car and walked to the door. She knocked. No answer came. Carol had a key to Christina’s apartment. She used it to unlock the door and pushed it open. She called out for Christina as she stepped inside. Still no answer. Carol Thomas walked through Christina’s apartment, calling her daughter’s name.

 The silence felt wrong. Small children are rarely quiet during daytime hours. The absence of noise was the first warning sign that something was very wrong. Carol moved through the living room and down the hallway. She reached the bedrooms. She looked in Justin’s room. His bed was empty. She checked Shelby’s room.

 That bed was also empty. A sense of dread built in Carol’s chest. She walked to Christina’s bedroom. The door was partially open. Carol pushed it wider and looked inside. What she saw would haunt her forever. Two small bodies lay in Christina’s bed, covered with a blanket. Carol rushed to the bed and pulled back the blanket.

 Justin and Shelby lay there, positioned side by side. Their skin was pale. They were not breathing. They were clearly dead. Carol screamed. She spun around frantic and disoriented. That is when she saw Christina lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. Carol thought her daughter was dead, too.

 All I could do was turn around and around and scream and holler, “No, no, no.” Carol later testified. “There’s no way to describe how I felt.” Carol pulled out her cell phone with shaking hands. She punched in 911. When the dispatcher answered, Carol could barely speak. “My daughter and her babies are dead,” she cried into the phone.

 The dispatcher asked for the address. Carol gave it. The dispatcher asked Carol to check if anyone was breathing. Carol looked at the children again. They were clearly dead. No question. She looked at Christina. Christina’s chest was moving slightly. She was breathing. My daughter is breathing. Carol told the dispatcher. She’s alive. Send help.

 The dispatcher sent emergency services immediately. Within minutes, sirens sounded in the quiet Sherwood neighborhood. Police cars and an ambulance arrived at 8115 Bronco Lane. Officers David Smith and Steve Hanker from the Sherwood Police Department were among the first responders. They entered the apartment and went straight to the bedroom.

 They saw the two children in the bed immediately. The officers checked for vital signs. Both children were cold to the touch. They had been dead for hours. There was nothing anyone could do for them. The officers confirmed what Carol already knew. Justin and Shelby Riggs Thomas were deceased. Paramedics rushed to Christina who was unconscious on the floor. They checked her vital signs.

 Her pulse was weak but present. Her breathing was shallow but regular. She was alive but unresponsive. The paramedics worked quickly to stabilize her. They started an IV line. They prepared her for transport. They placed her on a stretcher and carried her out of the apartment to the waiting ambulance.

 Christina was transported to Baptist Memorial Medical Center in North Little Rock. This was the same hospital where she had worked. Now she arrived as a patient in critical condition. While paramedics worked to save Christina, police officers secured the scene. This was now a crime scene. Though at this point they were not yet sure what crime had occurred.

 It might be a murder suicide attempt. It might be something else. Officers began documenting everything. They took photographs of the bedroom. They noted the position of the children’s bodies. They saw the blanket that covered them. They observed Christina’s position on the floor. They found the suicide notes. These notes immediately clarified what had happened.

Christina had written about killing the children and herself. She had explained her reasons. She had asked for forgiveness. Officers also found physical evidence throughout the apartment. In the bedroom, they discovered syringes. They found vials of potassium chloride. They found morphine. They found the bottle of Eleville with many pills missing.

 The evidence painted a clear picture. Christina Riggs had obtained these medications. She had used them to kill her children. She had attempted to kill herself, but failed. Let’s pause here for a moment. If you’re intrigued so far, subscribe to stay with us through the rest of this story. The medical examiner was called to the scene.

 The bodies of Justin and Shelby needed to be examined to determine the exact cause of death. The medical examiner’s team photographed the bodies and took preliminary notes at the scene. The children’s bodies were then transported to the medical examiner’s office in Little Rock for full autopsies. These examinations would reveal exactly how each child died.

Meanwhile, at Baptist Memorial Medical Center, doctors worked to stabilize Christina. Doctors treated the overdose. They administered activated charcoal to absorb the remaining elev. They gave her IV fluids. They monitored her heart rhythm carefully in case the potassium chloride caused arhythmias. Hours passed.

 Christina remained unconscious. The Sherwood Police Department placed a guard at Christina’s hospital room. Even though she was unconscious and obviously not a flight risk, police protocol required security. This was now a double homicide investigation. The police also instructed hospital staff not to allow family members to see Christina.

 Carol Thomas wanted to see her daughter, but officers denied her access. Christina’s sisters also tried to visit, but were turned away. The police were controlling access to their suspect. Carol Thomas was in shock. Her two grandchildren were dead. Her daughter had killed them and tried to kill herself. Carol could not process the magnitude of what had happened.

 She sat in a hospital waiting area, hoping for some explanation that would make sense of the nightmare. By the early morning hours of November 6th, Christina began to regain consciousness. She was disoriented and confused. She did not immediately remember where she was or what had happened.

 Then reality returned and with it the crushing weight of what she had done. Doctors evaluated Christina’s condition. She was physically stable enough to be moved out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. The immediate medical crisis had passed. She was going to survive. Detectives from the Sherwood Police Department were waiting.

 They wanted to interview Christina as soon as possible. The suicide notes provided a confession, but they wanted a detailed statement from her explaining exactly what happened. At 9:20 a.m. on November 6th, 1997, detectives Jones and Williams entered Christina’s hospital room with a tape recorder.

 Christina was strapped to her hospital bed. She was still weak from the overdose. Her family had retained attorney John Wesley Hall to represent her, and the attorney had told police not to question Christina without him present, but detectives proceeded with the interview anyway. They turned on the tape recorder. Detective Jones identified himself and stated the date and time.

 He asked Christina if she understood she was being recorded. Christina, crying, said yes. Detective Jones then read Christina her Miranda writes, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned.

” Christina continued crying throughout the reading of her rights. When Detective Jones asked if she understood her rights, Christina answered yes. The detective explained they were investigating the deaths of her two children. He asked Christina to tell them what happened. Christina began talking.

 She was crying and clearly distressed. Her words were sometimes difficult to understand on the tape, but she provided a detailed account of what she had done. She described getting the medications from the hospital. She explained mixing ele. She told the detectives how she tried to inject Justin with potassium chloride, but he woke up screaming in pain.

 “It hurt.” “Oh, he said it hurt,” Christina said on the tape. “It didn’t work. He just kept calling.” “Mama, mama,” she described trying to inject Justin with morphine to stop his pain, but it did not work. She told them she then smothered him with a pillow. She said Justin fought back as she did it. She explained that after seeing Justin’s suffering, she decided not to inject Shelby.

 Instead, she went directly to smothering her daughter. She said Shelby only fought a little bit. Christina told the detectives about writing the suicide notes. She explained her reasoning that the children would be better off dead than separated after her suicide. She described taking the ele pills and injecting herself with potassium chloride.

 The interview lasted only a few minutes. Christina was exhausted and barely able to speak. The detectives had what they needed. They turned off the recorder and left the room. This confession would become the centerpiece of the prosecution’s case against Christina Riggs, but it would also become the subject of intense legal dispute. Christina’s attorney would argue that the confession was involuntary and should be suppressed.

John Wesley Hall would later argue that Christina was still under the influence of the massive Eleville overdose when she gave the statement. He claimed she was hallucinating and not mentally competent to wave her rights or make a voluntary statement. Hall pointed out that Christina later said she hallucinated during the interrogation.

She claimed she saw the detectives arrive on an escalator to talk to her. She did not know where she was or what day it was. Her mental state was severely compromised by the drugs in her system. The defense would also argue that police violated Christina’s rights by interrogating her after her family retained an attorney.

 The lawyer had specifically told police not to question Christina without him present, but they did so anyway. Additionally, Christina was physically restrained to her hospital bed. She was in police custody, under guard, and isolated from her family. These circumstances suggested she was not free to refuse to talk to police.

 The Arkansas Supreme Court would later rule that Christina was indeed in custody during this interrogation and that her confession was taken under questionable circumstances. However, the court also found that even without the confession, sufficient evidence existed to convict her. On November 14th, 1997, Christina appeared in court represented by attorney John Wesley Hall Jr.

pleading not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. She was placed on suicide watch in jail and Dr. John Anderson evaluated her as competent to stand trial. Defense attorney Hall faced the challenge of defending a client who had confessed with overwhelming physical evidence against her.

 His only viable strategy was arguing legal insanity under Arkansas law, which requires proving Christina could not appreciate the criminality of her conduct due to mental disease or defect. Hall gathered evidence of Christina’s mental health history, including her Prozac prescription, family history of suicide, childhood sexual abuse, and traumatic life experiences.

 He retained psychiatrists who would testify that Christina’s severe depression led her to believe killing her children was an act of love, making this a philicide suicide case where the parent views children as extensions of themselves. Hall attempted to suppress Christina’s hospital confession, arguing she was drugged, hallucinating, and questioned after her family retained counsel, but Judge Humphrey denied the motion, ruling the confession admissible.

 Prosecutor Larry Jegley prepared a straightforward case arguing that Christina was criminally responsible and murdered her children because they were inconvenient burdens. His theory portrayed her as selfish and self-centered, presenting evidence that she sometimes left her children alone or locked them in their room while going to karaoke bars.

 The prosecution emphasized premeditation through her systematic obtaining of medications, withdrawing money for her mother, and writing suicide notes. Jaggley planned to use Christina’s taped confession, physical evidence, autopsy testimony, and prosecution mental health experts, who would acknowledge her depression, but argue it did not constitute legal insanity.

 The prosecution would emphasize the helplessness of the victims and argue no mitigating factors. justified sparing her from execution. What Jegley did not anticipate was that during the penalty phase, Christina would ask the jury to give her the death penalty, making his job significantly easier. The trial of Christina Marie Riggs began in June 1998 in Pilaski County Circuit Court with Judge Marian Humphrey presiding, prosecutor Larry Jaggley leading the prosecution, and defense attorney John Wesley Hall representing Christina.

After several days of jury selection, questioning potential jurors about their views on the death penalty and mental illness, a jury of seven women and five men was seated. Christina sat at the defense table in civilian clothes, appearing pale, thin, and emotionally subdued throughout the proceedings. Prosecutor Jegley opened by describing the scene at Christina’s Sherwood apartment and telling jurors they would see evidence of cold-blooded murder, even asking them to imagine hearing the laughter of the children as they entered

the home. Hall objected to this inflammatory statement about dead children, but Judge Humphrey overruled him. The defense’s opening statement acknowledged Christina killed her children, but asked jurors to understand why, explaining her severe depression, trauma history, and belief that taking the children with her in death was better than leaving them to be separated.

He prosecution presented Carol Thomas who emotionally described finding her grandchildren dead and her daughter unconscious. police officers who detailed the crime scene, the suicide notes Christina had written, medical examiner testimony about the causes of death, and most devastatingly, the taped confession where the jury heard Christina’s crying voice describing how Justin screamed, “It hurts. It hurts.

” And how Shelby only fought a little bit. The prosecution also showed photographs of the children alive and dead, which Hall objected to as prejuditial, but the judge allowed. The defense called psychiatrists and psychologists who testified that Christina suffered from major depression that clouded her judgment and made her believe killing her children was an act of mercy to prevent their separation after her planned suicide. Dr.

 Bradley Diner and other experts explained this as philicide suicide where the parent views children as extensions of themselves. The defense presented Christina’s family history of suicide, her traumatic life experiences, including childhood sexual abuse and failed relationships, and testimony from her sister Elizabeth Noddingham, about Christina’s remorse.

Expert witnesses testified that Christina’s suicide attempt was genuine, not manipulative, as she had taken lethal doses intending to die. The prosecution aggressively cross-examined these experts, getting them to admit that depression alone does not cause murder and that millions suffer severe depression without killing anyone.

Prosecution experts Dr. John Anderson and Dr. Wendell Hall testified that Christina understood right from wrong and that her advanced planning, obtaining medications over time, choosing a specific date and writing explanatory notes demonstrated rational thought incompatible with legal insanity. After both sides rested and the judge instructed the jury on the law, deliberations lasted only 55 minutes before the jury returned a guilty verdict on two counts of capital murder.

Christina collapsed in her seat when she heard the verdict as the mental illness defense had completely failed. The jury concluded that while Christina may have been depressed, she knew what she was doing and understood her actions were wrong, making her criminally responsible. The trial immediately moved into the penalty phase where the jury would decide between death or life imprisonment without parole.

 The prosecution argued the victims were helpless children killed by their own mother with no significant mitigating factors, while the defense prepared to present Christina’s mental illness, traumatic past, and lack of criminal history to argue for mercy. However, something unexpected happened during the penalty phase that shocked everyone in the courtroom and changed the entire trajectory of the case.

 The penalty phase of Christina Rig’s trial began immediately after the guilty verdict. This was the jury’s opportunity to decide whether Christina should be executed or spend the rest of her life in prison. John Wesley Hall prepared to present mitigating evidence. He would call witnesses to testify about Christina’s mental health, her difficult background, and factors that might convince jurors to spare her life.

The prosecution would argue for death. Larry Jaggley would emphasize the vulnerability of the victims and the heinousness of the crime. He would argue no mitigating circumstances justified mercy. But before either side could begin their penalty phase presentations, Christina Riggs stood up in the courtroom.

 She turned to face the jury directly. What she said next stunned everyone present. I want to die. Christina said to the jury, “I want to be with my babies. I want you to give me the death penalty.” The courtroom fell silent. Defense attorney Hall tried to object, but Christina continued speaking. She told the jury she did not want her lawyers to present mitigating evidence.

 She wanted them to recommend death as her punishment. Judge Humphrey halted the proceedings. He asked Christina if she understood what she was saying. She confirmed that she understood completely. She wanted to die. She did not want to fight the death penalty. Paul requested a recess to speak with his client. The judge granted it.

 Hall took Christina aside and explained the implications of what she was doing. If she prevented her attorneys from presenting a defense during the penalty phase, the jury would almost certainly give her death. Christina was adamant. She told Hall she had thought about this carefully. She believed she deserved to die for what she had done.

 She wanted to be executed so she could be reunited with Justin and Shelby. Paul argued with her. He explained that as her attorney, he had a duty to fight for her life. He told her about life in prison, about the possibility of eventually finding peace and purpose even behind bars. Christina refused to change her position. She instructed Hall not to present mitigating evidence on her behalf.

 She told him to let the penalty phase proceed without a defense presentation. Hall was in an impossible position. His client was directing him not to defend her during the most critical phase of the trial. As an attorney, he was ethically obligated to follow his client’s wishes unless she was incompetent to make the decision.

 But Christina had been found competent to stand trial. Multiple mental health evaluations confirmed she understood the charges against her and could assist in her defense. She was making this choice with full knowledge of the consequences. The court reconvened. Hall informed Judge Humphrey that his client had directed him not to present mitigating evidence during the penalty phase.

 The judge asked Christina directly if this was her wish. She confirmed it was. Judge Humphrey addressed Christina about the seriousness of her decision. He explained that by not presenting mitigating evidence, she was essentially asking for death. Christina said she understood and that this was exactly what she wanted.

 The prosecution presented its case for the death penalty. Jaggley reminded jurors of the victim’s ages, 5 years old and 2 years old. Completely helpless, murdered by the one person who should have protected them above all others. The defense presented nothing, Hall sat silent at the defense table, bound by his client’s instructions.

 The jury saw that Christina’s own lawyers were not fighting for her life because she did not want them to. Christina addressed the jury again. She said she took full responsibility for her actions. She acknowledged the horror of what she had done. She said death was the only appropriate punishment. I want to be with my babies. She told the jurors.

 I want you to give me the death penalty. The jury deliberated on the sentence. They had the power to give life imprisonment instead of death. Even though Christina was asking for execution, but the jury followed Christina’s request. They returned with a recommendation of death. The foreman announced the verdict.

 Christina Marie Riggs should be executed by the state of Arkansas for the murders of Justin Dalton Thomas and Shelby Alexis Riggs. Judge Humphrey formally sentenced Christina to death. When Judge Humphrey announced the sentence, Christina responded, “I’m going home to be with my babies.” She said, “Thank you.” and squeezed her attorney’s hand.

 Prosecutor Larry Jegley spoke to reporters after the sentencing. He was not impressed by Christina’s request for death. “One of the things that was clear to the jury was that she was extremely self-centered and manipulative,” Jaggley said. “Sing she wanted to die may have been one of the manipulative minations that she had grown comfortable with throughout her life.

” Defense attorney Hall criticized the entire proceeding. He argued that allowing a defendant to essentially volunteer for execution raised serious ethical and legal questions. He vowed to appeal despite his client’s wishes. Christina was transported to the McFersonen unit in Newport, Arkansas. This facility housed the state’s death row for women.

 In fact, Christina was the only woman on death row in Arkansas at that time. A special unit had to be established just for her. Christina would spend the next two years on death row. While the appeals process played out despite her stated desire to die, Arkansas law required certain appeals to proceed automatically.

 Christina could not simply volunteer for immediate execution. The case raised questions about mental competence and death penalty volunteers. Did Christina’s request to die demonstrate continued mental illness, or was it a rational response to the guilt and horror of what she had done? Civil rights groups criticized allowing Christina’s execution to proceed.

 They argued the state was assisting her suicide rather than administering justice. Critics called it stateass assisted suicide. But others argued Christina had the right to accept responsibility and face punishment without forced appeals. If she wanted to wave her rights and accept execution, that was her choice as a competent adult.

 These debates would continue throughout Christina’s time on death row and up to her execution. Christina Riggs was transported to the McFersonen unit in Newport, Arkansas in the summer of 1998. The Arkansas Department of Correction had established a special death row for women specifically because of her case. Before Christina, Arkansas had not had a woman on death row in modern times.

 The facility consisted of three cells designated for female death row inmates. Christina was the only occupant. She lived in isolation from other prisoners, spending 23 hours a day in her cell. The cell was small and sparse. It contained a bed, a toilet, a sink, and a small desk.

 Christina could watch television through the glass of her cell door. Though she could not change the channel, she saw whatever program was selected by the guards. Christina received her meals in her cell. According to interviews she gave, the food was good. “I’ve put on 30 lbs since I’ve been here,” she told a reporter.

 Her weight gain suggested she was eating regularly, unlike during the stressful period before the murders. She was allowed 1 hour per day outside her cell for exercise. She walked circles in a small outdoor courtyard adjacent to her cell. This hour was her only time in fresh air and open space. Christina was allowed visitors, though opportunities were limited.

 Visitors came to a hall not far from her cell. Christina was handcuffed whenever she left her cell. She spoke to visitors through a clear plastic window. She could not have physical contact with anyone. Her mother, Carol Thomas, visited when she could. Despite everything that had happened, despite losing her grandchildren, Carol continued to support her daughter.

 She brought books for Christina to read. Before coming to prison, Christina said she hated reading, but on death row, books became her escape from isolation and boredom. I didn’t read a whole lot before I came to jail. I hated reading, she said. Now I read three or four novels a week. My mom sends them.

 Christina was allowed to curl her hair and use a little makeup. She wore standard off-white prison scrubs and sneakers. These small concessions to personal appearance were among the few choices she could make in her tightly controlled environment. Pictures of Justin and Shelby decorated the mirror in Christina’s cell. She kept photographs of her children with her.

According to interviews, thinking about them consumed her days. A lot of regret. That’s what goes through my mind day in day out. Christina said, “God’s punishing me. He let me live so I would suffer.” Christina described her mental state as constant guilt and anguish. She said she believed God allowed her to survive the suicide attempt, specifically to punish her with the memory of what she had done.

 Christina also corresponded with other prisoners around the country. Some were also on death row. They gave her what she called an education about how to be a death row inmate. She learned the routines, the rules, the culture of life under sentence of death. She also received letters from death penalty opponents.

 People from as far away as England and Austria wrote to her. They urged her to fight for her life and appeal her sentence. But Christina had little in common with death penalty abolitionists. I still believe in the death penalty even though I’m sitting here on death row, she told a reporter. In my case, I’m glad I have the option.

 Christina argued that life without parole was cruel. She called it a waste of tax dollars for the state to house prisoners who would never be released. She said lifelong imprisonment was torture because an inmate could only leave feet first anyway. Her mother, Carol, supported Christina’s decision to wave appeals, though she wished her daughter would fight to live.

 She tells me she is adamant she does not want to do life. Carol said, “I want her to do whatever she needs for her. I know how hard it is for her to be in solitary up there by herself.” Christina told her mother she often wished she was serving only a 10-year sentence with her children still alive. I’d give anything to have 10 years if I just knew my kids were on the other side of the fence waiting for me.

 She said Lane, a criminal justice and psychology student, corresponded with Christina over the years. Lane came to understand Christina’s mindset. I think that she is comforted that she will be punished for what she did. Lane said her days are guiltridden and she is not getting any help dealing with that guilt.

 She believes that she will be with her children when she dies, and this is also comforting to her. Despite Christina Rig’s desire to wave all appeals and proceed quickly to execution, Arkansas law mandated automatic review of death sentences. Attorney John Wesley Hall filed an appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, even against Christina’s instructions, believing he had an ethical obligation to preserve issues for appeal.

 The appeal raised several concerns, including that Christina’s hospital confession should have been suppressed because she was under the influence of drugs and hallucinating. That police violated her rights by interrogating her after her family retained an attorney who told them not to question her without him present.

 That the trial court refused to give jury instructions about considering mental disease when determining intent to commit murder. that the prosecutor made inflammatory remarks about hearing the children’s laughter when entering the apartment and that graphic crime scene photographs were overly prejuditial. The Arkansas Supreme Court reviewed each issue in detail and found that while Christina was in custody during the hospital interrogation as she was under police guard, restrained to her bed, and isolated from family, even if the

confession was improperly admitted, the error was harmless because overwhelming evidence of guilt existed beyond it, including suicide notes, statements to family and medical personnel, witness testimony, and physical evidence. The court rejected the argument about jury instructions, stating Arkansas law clearly allowed such evidence only for determining insanity defense, not for determining intent to murder, and found no error in the prosecutor’s opening statement or photograph admission.

 On November 5th, 1999, the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed Christina’s conviction and death sentence in a 6:1 opinion written by Justice Robert L. Brown finding no reversible error. However, Arkansas law required a competency hearing before someone on death row could wave further appeals based on the 1988 France v.

 State case which ruled a defendant sentenced to death could forego appeals only if judicially determined to have capacity to understand the choice between life and death and to knowingly and intelligently wave appeal rights. Christina and Hall petitioned for a writ of searchari and the Supreme Court agreed to order a competency hearing and stayed the execution date until it could be held and reviewed.

 The competency hearing in early 2000 involved mental health professionals evaluating whether Christina understood her choice and could appreciate she was choosing death over life. The evaluations concluded Christina was competent, understood the nature and consequences of waving appeals, knew that not pursuing legal action would result in execution, and was making this choice voluntarily with full knowledge.

 In January 2000, the Arkansas Supreme Court issued its ruling in state v. rigs affirming that Christina was competent to wave her appeals, clearing the way for execution to proceed with no further appeals pending. And Christina having waved her right to pursue federal habius corpus proceedings. Governor Mike Huckabe received a clemency petition from various groups arguing Christina was mentally ill and executing her constituted stateass assisted suicide, but he reviewed the case, declined to intervene, and found no grounds to overrule the jury’s

recommendation and court’s determinations. The execution date was set for Tuesday, May 2nd, 2000 between 8 and 900 p.m. at the Cumins unit near Pine Bluff, where Arkansas’s execution chamber was located. Christina Riggs would become the first woman executed in Arkansas since Lvinia Bernett was hanged in 1845, the fifth woman executed in the United States since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

And at 28 years old, the youngest woman executed in the modern era of American capital punishment. As May 2nd, 2000 approached, preparations began for Christina Rig’s execution. She had spent nearly two years on death row at the McFersonen unit. Now she would be transferred to the Cumins unit where Arkansas conducted executions.

On Sunday, April 30th, 2000, 3 days before the scheduled execution, Christina was flown by helicopter from the McFersonen unit in Newport to the Cumins unit near Pine Bluff. This transfer was standard procedure. Condemned inmates spent their final days at the execution facility. Christina was placed in a cell near the death chamber.

Guards maintained constant watch over her. The state wanted to ensure she did not harm herself before the execution could be carried out. Christina requested visits from family members. Her mother, Carol Thomas, came to see her during these final days. They spoke through the plastic barrier, unable to touch. Carol cried.

 Christina tried to comfort her mother, telling her this was what she wanted. Christina had forbidden her attorney, John Wesley Hall, from filing any lastinute appeals or clemency petitions. Hall spoke to reporters about his client’s state of mind. “She is racked by guilt,” Hall said. “I talk to her every day.

 Her state of mind is good, but she actually is looking forward to dying.” Various groups made final efforts to stop the execution. Death penalty opponents argued that executing someone who wanted to die amounted to stateass assisted suicide. They claimed Christina’s continued mental illness meant she should not be executed. The American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, and other organizations issued statements condemning the planned execution, but these efforts had no legal effect.

 All appeals had been exhausted. Christina had waved her rights. Governor Huckabe had declined to intervene. Christina spent her final hours in reflection. She had pictures of Justin and Shelby with her. She looked at their faces and thought about what she had done to them. The guilt that consumed her daily did not diminish as her execution approached.

 The execution protocol was reviewed. Arkansas used lethal injection as its method of execution. The procedure involved three drugs administered in sequence. a sedative to cause unconsciousness, a paralytic to stop breathing, and potassium chloride to stop the heart. The bitter irony was not lost on anyone. Christina would be executed with potassium chloride, the same drug she had tried to use to kill her children and herself.

 The drug that burned Justin’s veins and caused him agony, would now be used to end Christina’s life. Witnesses were selected. Arkansas law allowed the condemned person to invite witnesses to the execution. Christina invited her mother and other family members, though it is unclear who chose to attend. Media representatives also received permission to witness the execution.

Reporters from Arkansas newspapers and television stations would observe and report on the death of Christina Riggs. Prosecutor Larry Jegley was invited as well. He had secured the conviction and death sentence. He would now watch the sentence be carried out. The execution team rehearsed their procedures.

 Medical technicians who would insert the IV lines practiced their duties. Security personnel reviewed their assignments. The warden verified that all protocols were properly prepared. Christina was offered the opportunity to order a special last meal. Many condemned inmates choose favorite foods for their final meal.

 The record does not specify what Christina requested, if anything. On the evening of May 2nd, 2000, as the execution time approached, Christina was prepared. She was dressed in prison clothing appropriate for the execution. She was offered the opportunity to speak with a chaplain. She could pray or receive spiritual counseling if she wished.

Christina was calm. She had wanted this day to come. She had fought to prevent appeals from delaying it. She believed she would soon be reunited with Justin and Shelby. Death was not something she feared. It was what she desired. The execution was scheduled for between 8 and 900 p.m.

 Christina was escorted from her cell to the death chamber shortly before the scheduled time. She walked on her own, did not resist, did not struggle. The death chamber was a small room with a gurnie in the center. Medical equipment was set up nearby. The lethal injection drugs were prepared in syringes ready to be administered through IV lines.

 Witness rooms flanked the chamber, separated by glass windows. Witnesses could see into the chamber, but were separated from the condemned person. Christina would be able to see the witnesses as she lay on the gurnie. Christina Riggs was escorted into the execution chamber at the Cumins unit on the evening of May 2nd, 2000. The room was small and clinical.

 The gurnie waited in the center, padded but imposing. Execution team members directed Christina to lie down on the gurnie. She complied without resistance. She had been waiting for this moment. She wanted it to happen. Guards secured restraints around her arms, legs, and torso, fastening her firmly to the gurnie so she could not move.

The execution was scheduled to begin between 8 and 900 p.m., but complications immediately arose. The medical technicians responsible for inserting the IV lines began their work. They needed to establish Venus access to deliver the lethal drugs. Binding a suitable vein proved difficult. Christina’s veins were not cooperating.

The technicians probed her arms repeatedly, searching for a vein large enough and accessible enough for the IV catheter. 18 minutes passed as they tried unsuccessfully to establish the lines. The delay was unusual and uncomfortable. Christina lay strapped to the gurnie while technicians repeatedly stuck needles into her arms.

 Witnesses watched through the glass, seeing the extended struggle. Finally, Christina offered a solution. She agreed to have the catheters placed in veins in her wrists instead of in her arms. This was not standard protocol, but the wrists sometimes have visible veins when arm veins are difficult to access. The technician successfully placed IV lines in Christina’s wrists.

 The execution could now proceed. The time was approximately 9:10 p.m., 18 minutes behind schedule. The warden asked Christina if she had any final statement. Arkansas protocol allowed condemned inmates to make final words before the execution began. Christina spoke clearly. Her voice was calm. “There’s no way no words can express how sorry I am for taking the lives of my babies,” she said.

 “Now I can be with my babies as I always intended.” These were the words of a mother expressing regret for killing her children while simultaneously expressing her belief that death would reunite them. The contradiction captured the complexity of Christina’s mental state. She felt genuine remorse, but still believed she would be with Justin and Shelby after death.

 The warden signaled for the execution to begin. In an adjacent room hidden from witnesses view, the execution team began administering the three drug protocol. The first drug was a sedative, typically sodium theopental. This drug causes loss of consciousness within seconds. Christina would fall asleep and become unaware of everything that followed.

 The sedative entered Christina’s bloodstream through the IV lines in her wrists. Within moments, her eyes closed. Her breathing remained steady, but she showed no signs of consciousness. She appeared to be peacefully asleep. One minute after the drugs began flowing, Christina whispered her final words. I love you, my babies.

 Her lips moved, forming the words. Then she was silent. The second drug was a paralytic agent, typically pancreatonium bromide. This drug paralyzes all voluntary muscles, including the diaphragm, stopping breathing. If the sedative had not worked properly, this drug would cause the sensation of suffocation, which is why the sedative must work first.

 The paralytic took effect. Christina’s chest stopped moving. She was no longer breathing, but her heart still beat, pumping blood through her veins. The third drug was potassium chloride. This was the same drug Christina had tried to use on her children and herself. In concentrated form, injected intravenously, it causes cardiac arrest.

The heart stops beating. The potassium chloride entered Christina’s system. Her heart rhythm became irregular, then stopped. The heart monitor showed a flatline. Christina Marie Riggs was dead. The execution took 9 minutes from start to finish once the drugs began flowing. At 9:28 p.m. Central Daylight Time, medical personnel confirmed Christina had no pulse and no breathing.

The doctor present pronounced her dead. The witnesses sat in silence. They had just watched a woman die by the same method she had attempted to use on herself 2 and 1/2 years earlier. Christina had gotten her wish. She had been executed by the state of Arkansas. Christina’s body remained on the gurnie for a few minutes while medical personnel completed paperwork and procedures.

 Then her body was removed from the chamber and taken to the prison morg. Christina Riggs was 28 years old at the time of her death. She had lived a troubled life marked by trauma, abuse, failed relationships, and mental illness. She had become a mother to two children she ultimately murdered. She had spent less than two years on death row before achieving the execution she requested.

 She was the first woman executed in Arkansas since Levvenia Bernett was hanged in 1845, making her death historically significant for the state. She was the fifth woman executed in the United States since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. She was also the youngest woman executed in the modern era of American capital punishment.

 No woman younger than 28 had been executed since executions resumed in 1976. Christina’s body was released to her family for burial. The location of her grave is not publicly recorded. Thanks for watching. Hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications so you never miss another deep dive into the world’s darkest stories.