DEDHAM, Mass. — A Wellesley mother, accused of killing her two young children, faced a judge in Massachusetts this morning and pleaded not guilty.
MacAusland was charged with two counts of murders in connection with the deaths of her two children and waived extradition to be transported back to Massachusetts to face the charges last week.
She was arraigned in a Vermont court room as a fugitive from justice.
MacAusland’s next court hearing will be on July 13. Her defense requested her to be held at a women’s correctional facility in Chicopee, which was granted.
Timeline of events
According to the prosecution, MacAusland arrived at her aunt’s home on the evening of April 24 in Vermont with a visible wound on her neck.
Her aunt told police that she originally didn’t recognize her niece, as she was absolutely hysterical when she knocked on her window.
After her aunt got her to come inside and calm down, according to police, her aunt asked her where her husband and her children were. She told her aunt that her husband was at the lake, and she had killed and her strangled her children. She also allegedly told her aunt she tried to kill herself.
[ Wellesley mother accused of killing children confessed to strangling them, court documents reveal ]
“I wanted the 3 of us to go to God together but it didn’t work,” MacAusland allegedly said.
Vermont police contacted Wellesley police to conduct a welfare check after speaking to MacAusland, and found the two children, 7-year-old Kai and 6-year-old Ella, deceased in bed.
On background
MacAusland and her husband Samuel were in the midst of a custody battle after Samuel filed for divorce in October of 2025. The couple had been together for nine years. According to court documents, Janette had filed a counter claim for custody of the kids and the home.
A guardian ad litem was then assigned on April 16. Their next court date was set for early May.
Ella and Kai were students at Schofield Elementary School in Wellesley.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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