A mother has been arrested and charged in connection with the deaths of her two young children, a case local authorities have called ‘an unimaginable loss’.
Janette MacAusland, 49, an acupuncturist, is accused after her children were discovered dead at the family’s $1.5 million home in Wellesley, Massachusetts, on Friday evening (April 24).
Police say MacAusland then drove roughly three hours to her aunt’s home in Bennington, arriving around 9.15pm. According to reports, she began banging on the windows until her relative, Sandra Mattison, recognized her and let her inside.
MacAusland was allegedly distraught, had blood on her, and appeared to have a cut on her neck. Mattison later contacted police and requested a welfare check.
Mattison later described the encounter to officers. She said in her statement (per New York Post): “I asked where her husband was and she said he was at the lake. I asked her where her children were and she told me that she had killed them.”
She continued to tell the police: “Janette told me that she had driven to Quieches [bridge] and tried to jump off the bridge but could not do it. She said she drove to my house.”
After officers responded at the Bennington residence, investigators said they grew increasingly concerned about the children’s safety and relayed the information to Wellesley police. The children — seven-year-old Kai and six-year-old Ella — were later found dead.
The deaths come amid an ongoing family court dispute. MacAusland had recently sought full custody after her estranged husband, Samuel MacAusland, filed for divorce in October, ending nine years of marriage.
Samuel was also pursuing custody, along with the family home, according to reports.
It has been reported that on April 16 the two sides signed a joint motion agreeing to bring in a third party to investigate and provide recommendations related to custody.
In the aftermath of Friday’s events, MacAusland has been charged with two counts of murder and is being held at Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Vermont. The Boston Globe reports she waived her right to contest extradition back to Massachusetts.
Authorities believe MacAusland admitted to killing both children. She is said to have told police: “I wanted the [three] of us to go to God together, but it didn’t work.”
She is being held without bail.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
Or, if you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.