Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, was arrested on Saturday after her two children were found dead inside their home on Friday night, according to multiple reports. The children were identified as Kai, 7, and Ella, 6. Massachusetts State Police said MacAusland is charged with two counts of murder.
MacAusland was detained in Vermont after arriving at a family home highly distraught with a visible neck injury and bleeding, police told major media outlets. She is being held on a fugitive-from-justice charge pending extradition to Massachusetts, according to multiple reports. Authorities said she is expected to appear in Bennington County Superior Court on Monday on a fugitive from justice charge.
The couple was in the midst of a divorce and custody battle, according to court documents. Samuel MacAusland filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage, seeking custody of the children and the family home, court filings show. Janette MacAusland also requested custody and control of the property. On April 16, both parties filed a joint motion to appoint a neutral third party to assess custody arrangements, and a guardian was appointed on April 21, according to court filings.
The children attended Schofield Elementary School, one in second grade and the other in kindergarten, according to multiple reports. Superintendent David Lussier said a crisis team was being prepared to support the community. In a statement, Lussier said the school district was devastated to learn of the tragic death of two of their students.
MacAusland is an acupuncturist, according to major media reports. The cause of death of the children has not been disclosed. It is unknown whether MacAusland has legal representation. The motive for the alleged killings and the timeline of events on Friday leading up to the discovery remain unclear.