UPDATE, May 25, 2009: Girl, 7, Who Survived Oregon Bridge Fall Improving
Oregon police say the woman accused of throwing her two children into the Willamette River has a history of domestic violence and recently filed for separation from the children's father.
Authorities say Amanda Jo Stott-Smith will be arraigned Tuesday on aggravated murder charges in the death of her four-year-old son, and aggravated attempted murder in the case of her seven-year-old daughter who survived a fall of 75 feet and is said to be improving.
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This is such a horrible story.
It appears that Amanda Jo Stott-Smith may have done the same thing that Lam Luong did.
In January of 2008, Luong murdered his four children by throwing them from a bridge in Alabama.
Stott-Smith may have pushed her children off the Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon.
Whether Stott-Smith pushed her children into the river or put them in a position where they fell, she is facing murder and attempted murder charges.
PORTLAND, Ore. -- PORTLAND, Ore. — The mother of a 4-year-old boy whose body was pulled from the Willamette River hours before daybreak on Saturday has been arrested and accused of dumping her son and 7-year-old daughter off a bridge.
Portland police said 31-year-old Amanda Jo Stott-Smith was taken into custody on the ninth floor of a downtown parking garage around 7 a.m. Saturday.
She threatened to jump off a ledge when officers arrived, said Detective Sgt. Rich Austria of the Portland Police Bureau.
Stott-Smith was facing aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder charges, Austria said.
Rescuers were unable to revive the boy, Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith, who drowned. The girl remained in an area hospital Saturday night, Austria said, and was expected to survive.
"She's doing well," the detective said. "She has the will to live."
Police did not release her name Saturday night and said they had not yet questioned her about the incident.
Police said Stott-Smith's car, a blue 1991 Audi, was seen parked on the Sellwood Bridge before residents of the area heard the children's screams and a massive search was launched.
...Officers were called to the Sellwood Bridge area around 1:20 a.m. after the screams were reported by residents.
Upon arrival, officers also heard screams on the river but could not locate their source because of the early morning darkness, said Officer Greg Pashley, a Portland Police Bureau spokesman.
..."As you look down into the darkness it's hard to see anything," Pashley said. "I can't imagine what it must be like to be a child in this cold river."
Austria said information from family members and a missing persons report the father filed with Tualatin police helped authorities identify the children.
More, from Oregon Live:
Police said tonight that they think the children either fell from or were pushed from the Sellwood Bridge into the river below.
...According to Portland police, Stott-Smith and the children's father share custody. Police did not identify the father.
Detectives confirmed the children's identities based on information given by family members.
The 7-year-old girl was in the water at least 30 minutes, police said.
The good news here is that Stott-Smith did not murder her daughter. Miraculously, she survived being in the cold river for at least 30 minutes. Sadly, the little girl's 4-year-old brother, Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith, drowned.
I don't understand how a mother could do this. How does a mother leave her children to die? How does a mother listen to her children's screams and just leave them?
Stott-Smith shared custody of the children with their father.
If she didn't want them, if she didn't love them, she should have given custody to their father.
Whatever motivated her to do what she did to her children, it's inexcusable.
7 comments:
i know the family personally, i babysat for them and i was their neighbor. the girls name is trinity, real sweet. the boys name is eldon, even sweeter. i cant beleive that their mom would do this to them.
When I heard what had happened, I cried...how could a mother pull such a heartless act on any child, let alone her own. She has cut short the glory of a young boy and I can only imagine the trauma she has caused to her daughter who fell victim of an attempted murder; a witness of the murder and the death of her little brother, and of all people her own mother did this horrible thing. My heart goes out to both of these little angels and to their families. I hope there be justice....although that won't undo the the hurt she has caused and certainly won't bring back the life that was lost.
"How does a mother leave her children to die?"A child is such a precious gift from God - I cannot, for the life of me, understand such a horror, either. I was never blessed with a child, and I still can't comprehend such behavior.
This disregard for human life is barbaric and it sure doesn't help matters when you have an [alleged] president that condones infanticide.
Circumstances aside. If a kid goes into the water from a bridge, you bet you ass I'm following, it's what a parent does.
I could not believe what I just read. I really think it is impossible for a mother to do it because i myself can't imagine doing it. Investigations are still going on and we don't know yet if this is really accident or the mother is responsible for this. Hope her daughter will tell everything the truth.
Stott-Smith will be charged with aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder.
There's reason to believe this was no accident.
My heart breaks for the little girl and her brother.
This is so sad.....how can a parent do this to their own child? Leaving your child left behind and screaming for help...this is UNCALLED for! My condolence goes out to the father, daughter and extended family members! "Lord, I just ask that you continue to bless the family and a may you watch over them, Amen"
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