Like any human, I have had my share of ups and downs, and my downs can feel low. My life overall is a fairly blessed one, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been times I felt complete and total despair. Still, even in my darkest hours — ones where I felt utterly alone in this world — I have never genuinely attempted any self-harm. I can’t help but have immense empathy for anyone driven to such a state, because I have to imagine that they must feel a level of distress I couldn’t even fathom.
The thing I find most heartbreaking, though, is when people who are in the middle of that emotional storm take others down with them. A Massachusetts mom reportedly was driven to such depths recently in a gruesome scene that resulted in the deaths of her two innocent children.
Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley, was arrested on April 25, 2026, after her two children were found dead.
The bodies of 7-year-old Kai and 6-year-old Ella were found after MacAusland fled her home state and showed up on her aunt’s doorstep in Vermont, “hysterical,” per NEWS 10. The Bennington Police Department was alerted that a woman appeared “highly distraught” at a local residence. Concerned neighbors placed calls saying they noticed she also had a visibly injured, bleeding neck.
After speaking with MacAusland, officers became increasingly concerned about the children she mentioned at home. When they connected with officers in Wellesley, they requested a welfare check, which led to the disturbing discovery.
MacAusland was taken in as a “fugitive of justice” in Vermont and will return to Massachusetts to face two counts of murder, per NEWS 10.
On April 27, the mom appeared in Rutland Criminal Court via a video feed from jail wearing a padded vest.
“She’s decided that the best thing is to get back to Massachusetts as soon as possible,” her attorney said during the court appearance, according to CBS News Boston.
MacAusland allegedly told Bennington Police the children were in her bed, stating, “I strangled them and then tried to kill myself.”
She also reportedly told her aunt, “I wanted the three of us to go to God together but it didn’t work.”
MacAusland’s husband, Samuel, reportedly filed for divorce in October and wanted custody of the children and their home.
Cale Darrah, the family’s babysitter, told Boston 25 News, “They were two beautiful children who were full of life and laughter, and it pains me to think that the world should remember them only by the way their lives were tragically ended.”
Wellesley Public Schools Superintendent David Lussier confirmed the children attended Schofield Elementary School.
“This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt not just at Schofield but across our entire community,” Lussier shared in a statement obtained by CBS News Boston. “I ask that we all keep this family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Authorities consider the investigation still open and ongoing.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
