Home / Crime and Justice / Massachusetts Mom Pleads Not Guilty to Murder
Massachusetts Mom Pleads Not Guilty to Murder
5 Nov
Summary
- Woman indicted for the alleged killing of her two young children.
- Children died from mechanical asphyxia and drug intoxication.
- Husband had filed for divorce seeking full custody.
Janette MacAusland, 49, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, November 3, to the murder of her two young children. She was indicted last month on two counts of first-degree murder for the April deaths of 7-year-old Kai Prescott MacAusland and 6-year-old Ella Brayton MacAusland.
Authorities found the children's bodies in their Wellesley home on April 24. The medical examiner concluded they died from mechanical asphyxia and acute intoxication due to a combination of drugs, including acetaminophen and lorazepam.
MacAusland's husband had filed for divorce in October 2025, seeking full custody of the children and ownership of the house. Her lawyer indicated that her mental health is a central issue, highlighting broader concerns about women's mental healthcare in the country.
MacAusland is currently being held without bail, and her next hearing is scheduled for December 16.
