Posted on 08/27/2002 5:47:49 AM PDT by CholeraJoe
Augusta kids killed
By CAROLYNN BRIGHT, IR Staff Writer - 08/27/02
Swanson faces 2 counts of murder.
A 46-year-old Augusta mother allegedly shot and killed two of her four children as they slept in their beds at the family ranch about 15 miles southwest of Augusta early Monday.
Jeanette Swanson faces two counts of deliberate homicide in connection with the shootings and is being held in the Lewis and Clark County Jail without bond.
Swanson was placed on suicide watch at the jail Monday afternoon while the bodies of her children — a 10-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy — were brought to the State Crime Lab in Missoula, where an autopsy will be conducted, said Undersheriff Cheryl Liedle.
According to Liedle, emergency responders flocked to the Swanson Ranch just before 6 a.m. after Swanson called 911, reporting that she had shot her two children.
Swanson’s other two children — boys, ages 16 and 20 — were in the house at the time of the killing, but were unharmed in the incident.
Swanson’s husband, Gene, was sleeping in a camp trailer outside the residence when the shootings occurred, Liedle said.
According to reports, Swanson was waiting at the door of the residence when emergency crews arrived.
Her children were located in their beds inside — both were dead at the scene, Liedle said.
Liedle said a firearm believed to have been used in the shootings was recovered at the family home, but officials will await the results of the autopsies to determine whether it was, in fact, the murder weapon.
Court documents indicate that Swanson’s 20-year-old son reported to authorities that his mother had a .38 Smith and Wesson gun in her possession when she placed the 911 call, but Liedle would not confirm whether that was the same make of gun seized at the scene.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Sam McCormack said Monday morning that a motive for the killings was sketchy.
However, he said that Swanson and her husband had argued last week about Swanson’s decision to enroll the two children in school in Augusta — Gene Swanson wanted his wife to continue to home school the kids on the ranch while she wanted them to attend public school.
The children attended their first classes at school in Augusta last week.
If a kid began homeschool instead of public last week he would be considered a homeschooler,wouldn't he?
Obviously, home schooling is just another way to oppress and enslave women. Unable to achieve fulfillment by letting someone else raise her children, what other choice did she have?
Second prize. Stormhands thought she should have shot her husband.
Isn't it ? Teachers make roughly 50 Grand a year, plus benefits to work 180 days over a 9 moth period, with summers off, two weeks at Christmas, and Easter, a bucketload of Half days, and various conferences....Yet, a homescholl mom recieves no salaries, earns no money toward Social Security and/or Retirement, and Homeschool Teachers students VASTLY outperform Publik Skool Teachers Students....
Dang this dude was still in the doghouse after a week. Maybe she should have shot him instead.
Public school mom-murderer.
Why let them spin the facts?
What school district is this in? Wow! My wife just went from public school to private Christian school(loves it by the way) and she was only making around 30k in one of the highest paying school counties in NC(Wake).
*ping*
what makes you think he didn't? i see no reason to get snotty with him.
Or better yet, herself.
Actually, the kids were enrolled in public school so I guess your comment should read, "Another public school mom murders her children."
Having said that, there must be more to this story. The kids were enrolled in public school like mom wanted. Why did she shoot them?
Let's not bring the Catholic church into this now!.
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