Woman pleads not guilty to charges in deaths of 3 young sons

PHOENIX (AP) -- An Arizona woman sobbed and hyperventilated in court Monday as she pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the fatal stabbing of her three young sons.

Octavia Rogers walked slowly into the quiet courtroom, breathed loudly and held her hands up to her chest as her cries grew louder.

Finally, she blurted out, "Help me."

Gary Bevilacqua, Rogers' attorney, put his arm on her shoulder as the 29-year-old faced Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Erin O'Brien Otis.

Outside of the courtroom, Bevilacqua said he was just assigned the case and didn't know what sort of defense will be presented on client's behalf.

The bodies of Rogers' sons were discovered in a closet on June 2 after her brother came home from work to find her talking about God.