Janette MacAusland Charged With Murder After Police Find Two Children Dead in Wellesley Home

A mother of two children was charged with murder after police found the children dead inside a Wellesley, Massachusetts home during a wellness check requested by Vermont authorities.

The Norfolk County District Attorney said Wellesley Police received a call around 9:30 p.m. on Friday from a Vermont police department for a wellness check at a home on Edgemoor Avenue.

ABC News

CBS News reported that Bennington police said MacAusland arrived at a family home “appearing highly distraut” and was bleeding from her neck.

Once police arrived at the Wellesley house, CBS News said they found two children, ages 6 and 7, dead in the home.

The children were part of the Wellesley public school system, and the identities of the children have not been released in the CBS News account.

The Norfolk DA said that on Saturday, 49-year-old Janette MacAusland was charged with two counts of murder, and she was being held at a correctional facility in Vermont.

MetroWest Daily News added that Massachusetts State Police obtained an arrest warrant for MacAusland charging her with two counts of murder of her children, ages 6 and 7, and that she was anticipated to appear Monday, April 27, in Bennington (Vermont) County Superior Court on the fugitive from justice charge.

Multiple reports connected the case to an ongoing custody dispute between Janette MacAusland and Samuel MacAusland during divorce proceedings.

CBS News said Probate court records show Samuel MacAusland filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage and sought custody of the children and the home.

Boston 25 News

CBS News added that on April 16, they filed a joint motion agreeing to have a neutral third party investigate and make recommendations about custody, and a guardian was appointed on April 21.

Emirates 24|7 reported that probate court records show Samuel MacAusland filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage and sought custody of the children and possession of the family home.

Emirates 24|7 further stated that on April 16, the couple filed a joint motion agreeing to allow a neutral third party to investigate and make custody recommendations, and a guardian ad litem was appointed on April 21.

Law and Crime News described the custody battle as being “locked in a custody battle with their father” and said the case had been ongoing since divorce proceedings started in October.

Law and Crime News also said that “Just last week, a guardian ad litem was appointed to protect the children's best interests during the case,” while Wellesley Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Lussier issued a statement about the deaths.

While CBS News did not release the children’s identities, other outlets named the children and described the custody context more directly.

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Boston 25 News

Emirates 24|7 said the arrest warrant charged Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley, with two counts of murder in the deaths of her children, Kai, 7, and Ella, 6.

Law and Crime News similarly said the children were “6-year-old Ella and 7-year-old Kai,” and it described the case as a custody battle with their father.

WCAX reported that Bennington Police Department conducted a welfare check around 9:15 p.m. Friday after a woman arrived at a family residence in Bennington appearing “highly distraught,” and that police said she had a visible neck injury and was bleeding.

WCAX said police identified the woman as Janette MacAusland and that Wellesley Police found two children dead inside the MacAusland residence.

WCAX also reported that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issued a criminal complaint warrant charging MacAusland with two counts of murder, and that she was being held without bail at a jail in southern Vermont and scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Rutland.

MetroWest Daily News stated that MacAusland is being held in Vermont and is anticipated to appear Monday, April 27, in Bennington County Superior Court on the fugitive from justice charge, and it quoted the DA’s Office saying Massachusetts State Police and Wellesley Police Department were working closely with Vermont State Police to have the defendant transported to Massachusetts.

The death of the two children prompted statements and planned support for the Wellesley school community.

CBS News quoted Wellesley Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Lussier saying, “This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt not just at Schofield but across our entire community. Our crisis team is planning support for students, staff, and families as we prepare for the reopening of school on Monday.”

CBS News

CBS News said the statement referred to a second-grader and kindergartener at Schofield Elementary School, and it described the planned support as part of preparations for reopening.

MetroWest Daily News also said counselors will be on-site on Monday to provide support and services.

Emirates 24|7 said the children attended Schofield Elementary School, where they were enrolled in kindergarten and second grade, and it quoted Superintendent David Lussier’s statement asking the community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers.

CBS News included reactions from neighbors, including a neighbor who said, “[The kids] seemed very well cared for, their parents seemed to love them a lot. None of this seems consistent with what we've seen walking our dog by the house,” and another neighbor, Vicky Chen, who said, “I feel very sad for the loss of the two kids.”

CBS News also reported that police had come to Vicky Chen’s home to ask for camera footage.

The reporting diverged on certain procedural details, including the timing of the welfare check and the court venue described for the next appearance.

“Massachusetts mother charged with killing two children amid custody battle Woman held in Vermont as authorities seek her return to face murder charges Boston: A Massachusetts woman who was seeking custody of her two young children during divorce proceedings is accused of killing them in their home, according to authorities and court records”

Emirates 24|7

CBS News said Wellesley Police received a call around 9:30 p.m. on Friday from a Vermont police department for a wellness check at a home on Edgemoor Avenue, while WCAX said Bennington Police Department conducted a welfare check around 9:15 p.m. Friday after a woman arrived at a family residence in Bennington appearing “highly distraught.”

Emirates 24|7

CBS News said MacAusland would appear in Rutland Superior Court on Monday to answer for a fugitive from justice charge, while MetroWest Daily News said she was anticipated to appear Monday, April 27, in Bennington (Vermont) County Superior Court on the fugitive from justice charge.

WCAX reported that she was scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Rutland and that she was being held without bail at a jail in southern Vermont.

Emirates 24|7 said she was expected to appear Monday in Bennington County Superior Court on a fugitive from justice charge, as authorities worked to return her to Massachusetts.

Across outlets, the core allegation remained that Janette MacAusland, 49, was charged with two counts of murder connected to the deaths of her children, ages 6 and 7, found dead inside the Wellesley home on Edgemoor Avenue.

The next steps described in the reporting centered on transporting MacAusland back to Massachusetts to face the murder charges, with MetroWest Daily News quoting the DA’s Office that Massachusetts State Police and Wellesley Police Department were working closely with Vermont State Police to ultimately have the defendant transported to Massachusetts.