A Modesto mother has been convicted of killing her 4-year-old daughter and attempting to kill her 10-year-old son, a verdict that has shaken a quiet east Modesto apartment complex and could send her to prison for life. Jurors reached the decision Friday after a trial this month in Stanislaus County Superior Court.
Verdict and charges
A jury found 36-year-old Mina Nazari guilty of premeditated first-degree murder and premeditated attempted murder, along with child-abuse and related counts, according to CBS Sacramento. Prosecutors told the court she was legally sane at the time of the attacks and that the convictions carry the possibility of multiple life sentences.
Court file details
The criminal complaint filed after the October 2023 attack lists five felony counts, including murder (Penal Code 187(a)), child abuse causing death, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. It alleges the acts were intentional, deliberate and premeditated and includes knife-use enhancements, according to the criminal complaint on file in Stanislaus County Superior Court. The filing also outlines allegations that would make the defendant ineligible for a county jail sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors' account of the attack
According to prosecutors and testimony at trial, the stabbings happened in mid-October 2023 inside the family’s unit at the Crown Ridge Apartments. Nazari’s husband rushed home after a phone call, and prosecutors say the couple’s 10-year-old son woke to a stabbing attempt and screamed, interrupting the attack. The 4-year-old daughter was later killed in the living room. A family friend identified her as Fatima Sana Akram, and prosecutors say Nazari confessed during a police interview and that knives were recovered. These details were presented in court and reported by CBS Sacramento.
Neighbors and the community
Neighbors told reporters they heard screams from inside the complex and described the aftermath as devastating. A fundraiser was later organized to help cover burial expenses, according to earlier reporting by KCRA. The Crown Ridge Apartments sit near Scenic Drive and Claus Road, where authorities say first responders converged after the initial emergency call.
What comes next
Prosecutors say Nazari faces multiple life terms if the court imposes the maximum penalties allowed under the counts on which she was convicted. A formal sentencing date will be set by the judge. Court calendars indicate the case went to trial in early March, and the jury returned its verdict Friday, according to the Stanislaus County Superior Court calendar.
