Suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his family received welfare benefits from the state up until 2012, when they became ineligible based on family income.

The 26-year-old, his wife Katherine Russell and their 3-year-old daughter Zahara were supported by the state, a spokesperson for the state Office of Health and Human Services confirmed on Wednesday.

State records showed that Tsarnaev and his younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - also suspected of planting bombs at the Boston Marathon on April 15 - received welfare benefits as children through their parents while living in Massachusetts. Neither one of them, however, was receiving benefits at the time of the bombing.

Russell's lawyer Amato DeLuca told The Associated Press his client was working 70 to 80 hours, seven days a week, as a home health care aide to help support her family as Tamerlan cared for their daughter. DeLuca said Tuesday that Russell is helping federal authorities that are investigating the attacks, which killed three people and injured 264 others.

"She is doing everything she can to assist with the investigation," he said. "The report of involvement by her husband and brother-in-law came as an absolute shock to them all."

The attorney also issued a statement that said Russell is "trying to come to terms with these events."

Tamerlan, 26, and Dzhokhar, 19, two ethnic Chechen brothers from southern Russia, are accused of planting two bombs near the marathon finish line last week. Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with police on April 18.

Dzhokhar was captured on April 19 after he was found hiding in a tarp-covered boat in a suburban Boston backyard. He faced serious injuries - specifically a gunshot wound to his throat - and is hospitalized. He was charged Monday with using a weapon of mass destruction with intent to kill. A probable cause hearing was set for May 30 in U.S. District Court and he could face the death penalty.

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