Wellesley’s Janette MacAusland during an arraignment hearing on Wednesday at Dedham District Court entered a not guilty plea in connection with first-degree murder charges of her two young children.

The 49-year-old MacAusland was ordered held without bail. Her next hearing, for probably cause, is set for July 13. The court recommended that the defendant be held at Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee.

MacAusland was arrested on April 24 in Vermont after showing up at a relative’s home in a distraught condition. Wellesley police discovered upon making a subsequent welfare check at the MacAuslands’ home that the two children, Kai (7) and Ella (6), were deceased.

Vermont police say MacAusland confessed to strangling her children to death. Court records show the offenses are believed to have taken place on April 22.

Janette MacAusland waived her right to extradition, agreeing to be returned to Massachusetts to face charges. The investigation into the deaths is being led by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

MacAusland had been in the middle of divorce and custody proceedings at Dedham District Court.

The Wellesley community has rallied over the past two weeks to honor the memory of the children and to support one another.

Wellesley’s Janette MacAusland, who is being charged with murdering her two children, appeared via a live video feed on Monday afternoon in a Rutland, Vt. court, where she waived her right to extradition on a fugitive from justice charge. Under the process, she will be sent back to Massachusetts within 30 days, be booked at the Wellesley Police station, and then face charges by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office.

Attorney Jeff Rubin, representing MacAusland at the Vermont court hearing, said: “She’s decided that the best thing is to get back to Massachusetts as soon as possible and address these charges.”

The Police Department in Bennington, Vt., about a 3-hour drive from Wellesley, was requested on Friday, April 24 to conduct a welfare check on the MacAusland children, ages 6 and 7, after the woman arrived at an aunt’s residence on Friday night “appearing highly distraught” and was reported to have a visible neck injury.

Wellesley police conducted the wellness check at the MacAuslands’ Edgemoor Avenue home and discovered on April 24 that the children were deceased. While details of the police findings have not been released, felony charges filed by the Norfolk County DA’s office cite the offenses of having taken place on April 22, two days before that.

As is typical with suspected homicide cases in this area, the Norfolk County DA’s office, with assistance from state police investigators, takes the lead.

According to a Bennington police report shared with the court and obtained by NBC5 in Vermont, MacAusland said she had strangled her children and attempted to end her own life.

MacAusland’s husband last fall filed for divorce, and the couple was in a custody dispute, according to probate court records.

Wellesley Public Schools have been providing support for students, staff, and families, with local police making themselves present as well to offer support.

In a statement issued late Monday, April 27, Superintendent David Lussier said:

Today was an emotional day for our entire district as we grieved the loss of two of our young students. By all accounts, Kai and Ella were shining lights, with close connections to children and adults that extended well beyond the Schofield Elementary School.

Over the weekend, we began organizing support and connecting with our community in preparation for the reopening of school today. On Sunday we hosted separate sessions with our student services professionals, with teachers and staff, and with families. Throughout the day, experts from inside and outside the district shared helpful guidance and answered challenging questions about how to best support students and each other in the days ahead.

This morning, we had additional counseling support in place in all 16 classrooms at Schofield as well as additional counselors at Hardy, where Kai had also been a student for two years. As difficult as today was for our schools, we are so grateful to the entire Wellesley community, which has come forward with countless offers of assistance and an outpouring of love for all who cared for Kai and Ella.

Separately, Wellesley Select Board Chair Marjorie Freiman opened the board’s April 27 session with words of support for the community on behalf of the board:

We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of two young lives in our community. This is a time of profound grief for our entire community and there are no words that can fully express the sorrow we feel. We recognize that many are struggling to process what has happened and we encourage residents to look out for one another in the days ahead. Our hearts are with the loved ones, classmates, neighbors, school faculty and staff, and everyone who is feeling the weight of this loss. We are extremely grateful to our first responders and public safety officials for their swift and professional response. We are also indebted to school officials and critical incident support professionals and counselors who are supporting our students and their families, faculty, and police officers. The appropriate authorities are conducting a thorough investigation and the board supports and respects the integrity of that process. We cannot make sense of these distressing events, but we can respond with compassion, with care, and with a commitment to support one another through grief. We are reminded of how closely we are connected and how deeply we depend upon one another. May we all be the best of ourselves as we move forward in the coming days and weeks.

This post was updated on 4/28/26 to include latest information from court filings and from the Select Board.

The Wellesley Police Department is investigating an act of vandalism targeting a residence on Arden Road. On Wednesday morning, officers responded to a call regarding 20 Arden Road and found that the five-bedroom home overlooking Beebe Meadow, in the Dana Hall area of town, had been defaced.

According to police reports, the property—which was recently acquired by a new homeowner—suffered physical damage including a broken glass slider. In addition to the structural damage, the vandals spray painted the rear exterior of the white house.

A resident provided a photograph of the damage to Swellesley, however, the specific words spray-painted onto the structure were not legible. Police have not released information regarding potential suspects, or a description of the graffiti.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or suspicious activity in the Arden Road area on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning should contact the Wellesley Police at 781-235-1212.