US4 min(s) read
Published 13:01 01 May 2026 GMT
The story behind a mother who has been accused of killing her children has been revealed by those close to her.
Janette MacAusland seemed to lead the perfect family life, for those outside looking in.
People believed she loved her beautiful family, lived in a $1.5 million home in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the US, and had a booming career.
However, things were reportedly far more complicated behind closed doors, with MacAusland's mental health allegedly deteriorating as her marriage fell apart and a struggle with her husband over their house and kids ensued.
Now, the Massachusetts mom is being accused of murdering her two young children after they were found dead at home.
Authorities say that MacAusland allegedly confessed to strangling her children inside her family's home, which could lead to significant time behind bars.
One of MacAusland's friends told The New York Post: “When I heard the news, it was probably the biggest shock of my life,
“I couldn’t process it. I’m still trying to reckon with it. It doesn’t make sense. There was nothing that would point to something like this.
“I think I’m going to be trying to reckon with it for a long time.”
The anonymous source revealed that she was an acupuncturist and meditation teacher, describing her as “gentle, kind, with-it, and personable”.
They added: “She talked about her kids like any normal mother would. It really seemed like she loved them.”
After reading about her arrest at her aunt's house in Vermont, the source said they were "completely shocked," especially after seeing the woman's chilling mugshot, which revealed cuts across her throat.
The friend said that nothing seemed different the last time they spoke.
A bitter divorce and a custody battle with her husband quickly turned ugly, prior to the deaths of their children Kai, seven, and Ella, six.
Her husband Samuel, 62, cited an “irretrievable breakdown” of their nine-year marriage as the reason for their divorce, while fighting for their valuable real estate.
Social media posts reveal that the family once appeared happy, going out on dates and spending time with their kids.
“Happy Father’s Day to every dad that shows up. And this one, shows up BIGTIME!” MacAusland once captioned a snap of her husband in bed with their children.
But in the days before the killing, things allegedly got messy.
Back on April 16, the parents filed a third-party request for a guardian to weigh in on custody, with a guardian being appointed just five days later, though this would be just one day before the children were killed.
The family’s former babysitter, Cale Darrah, told the Boston Globe: “Never did I enter the house and feel like there was anything that was extremely off."
Two days after the children were killed, the mom showed up at her aunt's home in Bennington, Vermont, 140 miles from home.
She had a slash across her throat and investigators say she told them: “I strangled them and then I tried to kill myself.”
Police found the children's bodies in Wellesley, with the scene of the crime leaving their father absolutely distraught.
Family friend Albert Bowley explained to the Boston Globe: “It was like a piece of life he finally fulfilled.”
He said that the children were “cute as a button.”
MacAusland is currently in custody in Vermont, as she faces a fugitive from justice charge, though she agreed on Monday to be expedited to Massachusetts, where she’s charged with two counts of murder.
Her attorney, Jeff Rubin said that she “decided that the best thing is to get back to Massachusetts as soon as possible and address these charges.”
MacAusland's next court appearance for the Vermont case is set for May 11.
