Don't people have common sense anymore? don't people know how to restrain themselves anymore?
Everybody has bad thoughts once in a while, especially when one is frustrated or angry, but most people do not act when they have such thoughts. This is because they can restrain themselves long enough for common sense to take over.
Common sense and the possibility to restrain oneself are what set us a part from small children, who are often not aware of the consequences of their actions.
Everyone with a bit of common sense will think before they take action. Everyone with a bit of common sense would know that such an action would have dire consquences for the victim, her family (in this case that includes her children) and the perpetrators....
Unless it is proven that the perpetrators are insane, in which case they should be hospitalised for the rest of their lives, they are a danger to society and should be locked away for the rest of their lives, as there is no way to prove that they won't give in to their bad thoughts again in the future...