Thedailymiaminews– This week, law enforcement officials in Tennessee provided a detailed account of how a mother murdered her son, who was one year old, and her daughter, who was four years old, by suffocating them with a “Lilo & Stitch” blanket.
A charge of first-degree murder and severe child abuse has been brought against Jessica Chandler, who is 29 years old, in connection with the deaths of her children, Vista and Eli Chandler. After the father of the children discovered that they were unconscious on October 29, the Johnson City Police Department went to the residence to investigate. During his testimony on Tuesday, Officer Gary Price stated that he arrived to the 911 call and discovered the father performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on one of the children in the front yard. This information was reported by the local CBS affiliate WJHL in the courtroom.
While Eli stepped inside the house, doctors and other medical professionals arrived to provide assistance to Vista and Eli. Upon entering, he stated that he discovered Chandler in the bathtub, suffering from slashes at her arms.
During his testimony, Price stated, “I saw a pack of razor blades along with utility knives sitting on the edge of the bathtub.”
Chandler was rushed to the hospital by paramedics, but the children were beyond the point of being saved. As soon as the two little children passed away, the investigation into their deaths began. The important clues were gathered by them in a short amount of time. During his testimony, investigator Michael Fowler stated that he found three notes that were taped to some cupboards that were located close to the entryway. According to him, Chandler wrote them a letter in which she admitted to the murders and stated that she intended to take her own life. Fowler claimed that her reluctance was partially due to the fact that she believed she was unable to safeguard them.
As a result of the fact that the children did not experience any injuries, the police initially speculated that Chandler might have poisoned them. The second interview with Chandler, on the other hand, revealed still another significant piece of the puzzle.
During the course of the testimony, Fowler stated, “She pointed out on the property list that she used a ‘Lilo & Stitch’ blanket to first suffocate Vista in her bed.” Additionally, Chandler admitted to suffocating Eli in the same manner. It appears that they are using a blanket that features characters from the Disney animated film.
Asphyxiation by smothering was determined to be the cause of death for the children by an autopsy.
According to a report by WJHL, the judge came to the conclusion that there was sufficient evidence to bring the matter to a grand jury. On a bond of two million dollars, she continues to be held at the Washington County Jail. Her next scheduled court appearance is on March 31.
A little more than a week before he passed away, Eli had turned one and had just celebrated his first birthday. The obituary for Vista and Eli offered a picture of their brief but cherished lives, which included the following: