Mother charged with murder of her two young children

A prominent Wellesley mother and medical professional, Janette MacAusland, has been charged with two counts of murder following the deaths of her two young children.

On Saturday, the Norfolk District Attorney's Office announced that the Massachusetts State Police had obtained an arrest warrant for the 48-year-old after a welfare check led to a grim discovery.

Officers arriving at the family's home on Edgemoor Avenue found the children, identified by a former babysitter as Ella, 7, and Kai, 6, deceased inside the residence.

The news has sent shockwaves through the quiet community of Wellesley, where such violent incidents are exceedingly rare.

A former babysitter for the family, Cale Darrah, described the children as "happy and healthy," noting that Ella was an "absolute angel" with a sweet personality.

MacAusland, who is listed as an acupuncturist with New England Integrated Health and reportedly worked at Massachusetts General Hospital, had no outward signs of trouble, according to those who knew the family professionally. "It doesn’t really feel real at all," Darrah told the Boston Globe.

Following the discovery, MacAusland was located in Vermont, where she was taken into custody. She is scheduled to appear in Bennington County Superior Court this Monday on a fugitive from justice charge as Wellesley authorities coordinate with Vermont State Police for her extradition.

Meanwhile, the Wellesley Public School System, where both Ella and Kai were students, has arranged for counsellors to be on-site on Monday to support classmates and staff grappling with the loss.