A Wellesley woman is being held in Vermont and charged with two counts of murder of her children, ages 6 and 7.
According to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police have obtained an arrest warrant for Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley. She is being held in Vermont and is slated to appear on Monday, April 27, in Bennington County Superior Court on a fugitive from justice charge. The Massachusetts State Police and Wellesley Police Department are working with the Vermont State Police to have the defendant transported to Massachusetts to answer to the murder charges.
Wellesley Police received a call from a Vermont Police Department on Friday night requesting a well-being check on family members in the Edgemoor Avenue home, and found the children deceased inside the residence (The Bennington Banner/Vermont News First first reported that the Bennington Police Department had arrested MacAusland and house her at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland, Vt.)
Edgemoor Avenue is located north of Rte. 9, near the Natick line. “Crime scene” tape was stretched around the home on Edgemoor on Saturday.
MacAusland, an acupuncturist, and her husband have been going through divorce proceedings that began in October (she was the defendant). A joint motion was made earlier this month to continue/reschedule pre-trial conference until early May.
The victims were students in the Wellesley Public School System, which shared a statement by Superintendent David Lussier:
“We were devastated to learn of the tragic death of two of our WPS students, a second-grader and kindergartener at Schofield Elementary School. This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt not just at Schofield but across our entire community. Our crisis team is planning support for students, staff, and families as we prepare for the reopening of school on Monday. I ask that we all keep this family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
