A Wellesley mother appeared on video in a Vermont courtroom, facing a fugitive-from-justice charge in connection with the deaths of her two children, 6-year-old Ella and 7-year-old Kai.
Authorities say the investigation began in Vermont, when officials received a call from a family member’s home after 49-year-old Janette MacAusland arrived with a bleeding wound on her neck and appeared highly distraught.
Vermont police said they then became concerned about the condition of MacAusland’s children, and called Wellesley police to conduct a welfare check on the home.
They found both children dead inside the residence on Edgemoor Avenue on Friday night.
She was charged with two counts of murder in connection to their deaths.
On Monday morning, MacAusland agreed to be extradited back to Massachusetts to face the murder charges. She will have to appear in court in the next two weeks.
Court records obtained by Boston 25 show MacAusland and her husband were in the midst of a divorce and custody battle.
Neighbors and town residents laid flowers, stuffed animals, toys and more as a memorial grew outside the Egdemoor Avenue home.
Tamara Schultz of Wellesley didn’t know the family but still wanted to pay her respects.
“Things like this don’t happen in Wellesley,” she said.
She brought a dove lawn ornament with three flowers in it.
“One for the mom, and one for each of the kids… What [MacAusland] did, she needs to pay for. But she probably needs a lot of help and locking her away and throwing away the key isn’t going to help her,” Schultz said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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