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The arrest affidavit of a mother from Wellesley, Massachusetts, who is accused of murdering her two children, provides disturbing insights into the alleged incident.
Janet McCosland, 49, is charged with the deaths of her kids, Kai, 7, and Ella, 6, at their home last Friday before she reportedly fled to Vermont.
As detailed in the affidavit, she arrived at her aunt’s house appearing extremely upset.
“She was in a state of hysteria. I took her in; she was knocking on the window trying to get my attention, and that’s when I noticed a significant cut on her throat,” her aunt recounted. “After calming her down, we checked her neck and found dried blood. Janet mentioned that she had attempted suicide. When asked about her husband, she said he was at the lake,” the aunt recounted.
McCausland allegedly told her aunt that they had intended to go to God as a family, but things went awry.
Her aunt informed the police that Janet revealed she had killed Kai and Ella before attempting to take her own life. The affidavit indicates that she had considered jumping from a bridge but couldn’t bring herself to do it.
When questioned by law enforcement about the children’s safety, McCausland reportedly shook her head. Eventually, she disclosed a harrowing confession to them.
“I tried to strangle them and then commit suicide,” she said, explaining that her children were found deceased in bed at her parents’ house in Massachusetts.
Wellesley police corroborated her aunt’s story based on the affidavit.
McCausland was arrested in Vermont on a fugitive charge and appeared in front of a judge remotely on Monday. Over the weekend, she faced two counts of murder in Massachusetts.
During the hearing on Monday, she waived her extradition rights and will return to Massachusetts to address the charges against her.
McCausland’s husband, Samuel, filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage, citing an “irreparable marital breakdown.” He is seeking custody of the children.
The attorney for Mr. McCausland has not responded to requests for comments.
