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Florida Mom Shot Children 18 Times Before Killing Herself

CAPE CANAVERAL (CBSMiami/AP) - A Port St. John mother who killed her four children shot them 18 times before taking her own life.

The Brevard County's medical examiner wrote in the report that a revolver was fired against the chest of at least two children. There were 19 gunshot wounds found on the victims, including the self-inflicted wound to 33-year-old Tonya Thomas. The report says one child was shot seven times. The youngest, who was 12, was shot five times from more than two feet away.

The shootings happened last Tuesday in Port St. John, near Cape Canaveral. The children fled to a neighbor's house, but returned when Thomas came outside and called for them to return.

Authorities say she then fired the fatal rounds, smoked a cigarette and later killed herself.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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