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Judge sentences Taheerah Ahmad to life in prison in stabbing

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TULSA — A judge sentenced Taheerah Ahmad to three life prison sentences after she stabbed her 11-year-old daughter nearly 100 times, tried to set her house on fire and caused an Amber Alert for her another daughter.

The sentences will be concurrent, meaning she will serve all the sentences at the same time. She also faces an additional 10 years in prison after the life term. Ahmad was found guilty of assault and battery by means likely to produce death, two counts of child neglect and first-degree arson.

Ahmad will have to serve 85 percent of her time in prison before she is eligible for parole, judge said.

In April, Taheerah Ahmad made a blind plea during a court appearance. ---------

The judge and assistant district attorney said this is the worst crime they have ever seen and because of the gruesome nature of the crimes, Taheerah Ahmad will spend the rest of her life in prison.

During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Katie Koljack went through a brief timeline of what happened last May, explaining the severe injuries the oldest daughter sustained.

Koljack played the police interview with Ahmad, where she confessed to stabbing her daughter, who was 10-years-old at the time, with three different weapons.

Koljack said the stabs wounds were so numerous they could not accurately be counted, but was estimated around 100 times.

Ahmad said the oldest daughter was the devil, and tried to kill her out of fear for her own life.

She told detectives she knew what her daughter was thinking and knew she would hurt her.

Ahmad also told police she did it because she was upset with the way her children were reading and the looks they were giving her.

In the interview, she also blamed the girl’s dad for the eldest girl’s behavior, saying he was abusive and the girls suffered from PTSD because of it.

Ahmad claimed she tried to get help by having her talk to a child psychologist.

Tulsa County Public Defender Lora Howard said they did not disagree and said the crimes were terrible.

She said either her client was "truly a monster" or "not in her right mind."

Howard listed several times during the interview where Ahmad was not thinking rationally.

She said she wasn't able to spell her middle name and believed she knew what her daughter was thinking.

Howard said Ahmad expressed remorse and knew she could never take back what she did.

Howard told the judge Ahmad should "absolutely" be punished but asked for a chance for rehabilitation.

The judge said she believed Ahmad’s actions were out of character and said she snapped and committed the heinous crimes.

She also noted that Ahmad took steps to protect her children, like entering a blind plea, to keep her children from having to testify against her.

She said Ahmad did her best to keep her daughters away from an abusive father.

The judge said the court was sympathetic but it did not change the facts of the gruesome crime.

After hearing from both the DA’s office and the public defender, the judge ruled that Ahmad would serve three life sentences concurrently with an additional 10 years for arson.

Koljack said she has never seen anything like this before and was pleased with the verdict.

"The 10 years on top of it, I think guarantees, although a life sentence means life, and she’s not expected to parole out or get probation, I think the 10 years on top of that will ensure that she will spend the rest of her life in prison," said Koljack.

The judge said Ahmad will have a small window of time to file an appeal if she chooses to do so.

Ahmad asked for immediate transportation after the hearing.

RELATED: Suspect in Amber Alert, stabbing of daughter seen smiling after arrest

The child who was repeatedly stabbed has recovered.

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