CHANGSHA - A woman killed her three sons after injuring her husband with a knife during a domestic dispute early Tuesday in Central China's Hunan province, the local government said.

The wife, surnamed Lei, in Jiahe county, argued with her 35-year-old husband, also surnamed Lei, and then slashed him with a knife. The husband was injured in the head and went to a local hospital by himself.

Police arrived at the scene after receiving a report at 0:18 am. They broke into the house as the door was locked, to find the three sons aged nine, two and one, lying dead in the living room and a bedroom.

The left wrist of the woman was bleeding as she was trying to commit suicide. Police sent her to hospital for treatment.

Lei confessed to killing her children with a knife.

The case is still being investigated.