Wellesley man seeks divorce and custody of his 2 kids. Then his wife allegedly kills them and flees to Vermont: ‘I wanted us to go to God together’

Janette MacAusland has been indicted on two charges of first-degree murder following the deaths of her two young children. The 49-year-old is set to be arraigned on November 3, marking a major update in a case that began when she showed up at her aunt’s home in Vermont with a severe injury to her throat.

As reported by Court TV, prosecutors recently shared new details about the events that led to the discovery of the children. When MacAusland arrived at her aunt’s residence, she was apparently in a panicked state and knocked on a window to get attention. Her aunt told police that MacAusland had a large cut on her throat and confessed to the crime right then. The aunt reported that MacAusland said, “I wanted the three of us to go to God together, but it didn’t work.”

Law enforcement officials arrived shortly after and stated that MacAusland repeated the confession to them, naming her 6-year-old daughter, Ella, and her 7-year-old son, Kai. This prompted police to conduct a wellness check at the family home in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Officers discovered the two children dead inside the house. Then in a police interview, MacAusland allegedly stated, “I strangled them and tried to kill myself,” noted that the children would be in her bed.

The medical examination to determine the children’s cause of death is not yet finished

The indictment alleges that MacAusland “did assault and beat [both children], with intent to murder [them] and by such assault and beating did kill and murder [the children].” While the specific cause of death was not immediately clear, prosecutor Jennifer Hickman noted at a September bond hearing that the medical examiner had not finished the official report. MacAusland previously entered a plea of not guilty through tears while in a lower court.

This tragedy unfolded against the backdrop of a difficult family situation. MacAusland’s estranged husband had recently filed for divorce, pointing to an “irretrievable breakdown” of their marriage. He had also requested custody of the children. Records show the kids were killed only days after a court assigned someone to investigate the family’s custody arrangement.

People who knew the family were left stunned by the news. The family’s former babysitter spoke about her experience with MacAusland, telling WBZ, “She just seemed to deeply love her children, like any other mother that I’ve come across.”

The legal process is moving forward now that the grand jury has returned an indictment. MacAusland remains in custody after being denied bond earlier this year. The upcoming arraignment on November 3 will be the next step in the proceedings as the court handles the murder charges. For now, the public is waiting for the next court date to see how the case develops further.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]