A Massachusetts woman appeared briefly via video in a Rutland County court on Monday following an investigation into the deaths of her two children. Janette MacAusland, 49, is facing two counts of murder in the state of Massachusetts for the deaths of Kai MacAusland, 7, and Ella MacAusland, 6, who were found dead in their home in Wellesley on Friday. MacAusland appeared via videoconference from the Marble Valley Correctional Facility. She waived her right to extradition on a fugitive from justice charge, meaning she will be sent back to Massachusetts.Her attorney said MacAusland wants to go back to Massachusetts to answer to the murder charges she is facing. Video: Watch court appearance here:In court documents obtained by NBC5, MacAusland went to her aunt’s house in Bennington following the alleged crime. “She was hysterical. I brought her into my house. She had knocked on a window to get my attention and I could see that she had a large cut on her throat,” the aunt’s statement said.The aunt told police that MacAusland said she had killed her children.”I asked her where her children were and she told me that she had killed them,” the aunt told police.Additionally, police said MacAusland was carrying a holiday photo of the family that included her two children. She handed the image to an officer, who asked where the children were, the report states.”I strangled them and then I tried to kill myself,” MacAusland answered, according to the report.MacAusland told the police officer in Vermont that the children were in her bed and, ultimately, the report states that they were found in a bed when officers went to the family’s home. Bennington police took MacAusland into custody as a fugitive from justice.The Wellesley, Massachusetts community is mourning the loss. A family babysitter calling the children more than victims but people with individual interests and personalities. “Ella was very outgoing. She had a, I think, a level of almost emotional maturity that I had never seen. I’ve been babysitting for like well over a decade. Kai was a little shyer at first. He loves to read and they love to be outside,” she said.Wellesley Public Schools also released a statement saying they,” Were devastated to learn of the tragic death of two of students, a second grader and kindergartener at Scholfield Elementary School. This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt.”The school district is bringing in a crisis team that will be available to students, staff and their families. Neighbors have placed flowers, stuffed animals and handwritten notes along the sidewalk outside of the family’s home in Wellesley. The judge set a status conference for May 11 in Bennington Superior Court to ensure that MacAusland has been transported back to Massachusetts to face the rest of the charges against her.
A Massachusetts woman appeared briefly via video in a Rutland County court on Monday following an investigation into the deaths of her two children.
Janette MacAusland, 49, is facing two counts of murder in the state of Massachusetts for the deaths of Kai MacAusland, 7, and Ella MacAusland, 6, who were found dead in their home in Wellesley on Friday.
MacAusland appeared via videoconference from the Marble Valley Correctional Facility. She waived her right to extradition on a fugitive from justice charge, meaning she will be sent back to Massachusetts.
Her attorney said MacAusland wants to go back to Massachusetts to answer to the murder charges she is facing.
Video: Watch court appearance here:
In court documents obtained by NBC5, MacAusland went to her aunt’s house in Bennington following the alleged crime.
“She was hysterical. I brought her into my house. She had knocked on a window to get my attention and I could see that she had a large cut on her throat,” the aunt’s statement said.
The aunt told police that MacAusland said she had killed her children.
“I asked her where her children were and she told me that she had killed them,” the aunt told police.
Additionally, police said MacAusland was carrying a holiday photo of the family that included her two children. She handed the image to an officer, who asked where the children were, the report states.
“I strangled them and then I tried to kill myself,” MacAusland answered, according to the report.
MacAusland told the police officer in Vermont that the children were in her bed and, ultimately, the report states that they were found in a bed when officers went to the family’s home.
Bennington police took MacAusland into custody as a fugitive from justice.
The Wellesley, Massachusetts community is mourning the loss. A family babysitter calling the children more than victims but people with individual interests and personalities.
“Ella was very outgoing. She had a, I think, a level of almost emotional maturity that I had never seen. I’ve been babysitting for like well over a decade. Kai was a little shyer at first. He loves to read and they love to be outside,” she said.
Wellesley Public Schools also released a statement saying they,” Were devastated to learn of the tragic death of two of students, a second grader and kindergartener at Scholfield Elementary School. This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt.”
The school district is bringing in a crisis team that will be available to students, staff and their families.
Neighbors have placed flowers, stuffed animals and handwritten notes along the sidewalk outside of the family’s home in Wellesley.
The judge set a status conference for May 11 in Bennington Superior Court to ensure that MacAusland has been transported back to Massachusetts to face the rest of the charges against her.
