The children were students at Schofield Elementary School, district officials said.
WELLESLEY, Mass. — Two children found dead inside a Wellesley home were at the center of a custody dispute days before their mother was charged with murder, according to authorities and court records.
Janette MacAusland, 49, faces two murder counts in the deaths of Kai, 7, and Ella, 6. Police found the children Friday night after a Vermont police department asked for a welfare check at a home on Edgemoor Avenue, authorities said.
The call came around 9:30 p.m. Friday. Wellesley officers went to the home and found both children dead inside. Authorities have not said what prompted the Vermont request or how the children died. The investigation is being led by Massachusetts State Police and Wellesley police.
MacAusland was later taken into custody in Vermont. She was being held there pending a Monday appearance in Bennington County Superior Court on a fugitive from justice charge. Massachusetts authorities said they plan to bring her back to face the murder case.
Probate court records show Samuel MacAusland filed for divorce in October and sought custody of the children and the family home. Janette MacAusland later filed her own claim seeking custody and the home. A guardian ad litem was appointed April 21 to review custody issues and make recommendations.
The deaths stunned Schofield Elementary School, where the children were enrolled in kindergarten and second grade. Superintendent David Lussier said the loss would be felt across the community, and school officials arranged support for students and staff.
Outside the home, neighbors described a sudden police response and a street left searching for answers. Vicky Chen said officers came to her home asking for camera footage. “Everyone feels very bad for the loss of the two kids,” Chen told CBS Boston.
Another neighbor, identified as James, said the family did not appear troubled from the outside. He said the children seemed cared for and that the news did not match what neighbors had seen around the house.
Officials had not announced additional charges or a Massachusetts court date Sunday. The next public step was expected in Vermont court Monday as prosecutors worked to return MacAusland to Massachusetts.
Author note: Last updated April 26, 2026.