Mom Allegedly Smothered 2 Young Children with “Lilo & Stitch” Blanket, Then Left Chilling Notes Explaining Why
Jessica Chandler is charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder
Washington County, Tennessee Sheriff's Office
Jessica ChandlerA Tennessee mother is accused of killing her two young children, smothering them with a Lilo & Stitch blanket.
Jessica Chandler is charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse, Washington County, Tenn., court records indicate. WJHL, WCYB and Johnson City Press, citing authorities, report that the charges stem from the October deaths of her 4-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son.
It is not immediately clear if Chandler has entered a plea, though she appeared in court at a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
During the hearing, investigators testified that the two children died as the result of asphyxiation.
“[Chandler] pointed out on the property list that she used a Lilo & Stitch blanket to first suffocate Vista in her bed,” Johnson County Criminal Investigator Michael Fowler said during the hearing. A video of his testimony was published by WJHL.
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WJHL reported that investigators had initially suspected that the children had been poisoned prior to the autopsy.
Both children were found unresponsive by their father on Oct. 29, when he arrived at Chandler’s home, the outlet reported.
All three outlets reported that police say they found handwritten notes in Chandler’s home which allegedly indicated that she had killed her children and planned to die by suicide.
According to Fowler's reported testimony, the notes allegedly gave multiple reasons for the killings, including that she was unable to protect her children.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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