An Oregon woman is facing attempted murder charges following allegations that she attempted to poison her young children, according to reports.
Chardonnay Marie Benavidez, aged 32, made a distressing 911 call on Saturday evening from her residence in Keizer, claiming that she and her children were experiencing intermittent unconsciousness. The call was made around 8:20 p.m.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered Benavidez along with her 2-year-old twins and a 4-year-old child in the living room. In addition, they found a concerning setup in the attached garage: a vehicle with a hose connected from its exhaust pipe into the vehicle’s interior.
Benavidez allegedly confessed to the dispatchers that she had attempted to end their lives, including her own, through carbon monoxide poisoning. All were subsequently taken to the Salem Hospital Emergency Department for treatment and were medically cleared by the following day.
After her release from medical care, Benavidez underwent evaluation by psychiatric professionals and was held by a physician. She was later transferred to the Marion County Correctional Facility, where she now faces three counts of first-degree attempted murder.
The three children were released to their father, Antonio Benavidez. They were divorced in 2024, and he said he was shocked when he got the call.
“She was such a great f—— mother,” he said in an exclusive interview with Nexstar’s KOIN. “I went to the hospital. They wouldn’t let me in. They wouldn’t give me no information. I ended up getting detained because I was like, ‘Dude, those are my kids back there, I’m f-cking going in.’”
Antonio said he only knew his ex had tried to harm herself in the beginning and was surprised to learn the kids were involved. He said she had made comments indicating she may have been struggling, but never said anything about the kids.
“She said it a few times, but I mean, you know, we all do,” he said.
After the children were released, Antonio said he went back to the house to get them clothes. But when he arrived, he noticed their belongings were all gone.
“The house is stripped,” he said. “She donated everything.”
Now, he said he’s just trying to keep everything normal for the kids.
“They don’t really know what’s going on, which is good,” he said.
During her first court appearance on Monday, prosecutors said Benavidez told the kids they would have a sleepover in the car, including popcorn.
She later reportedly told law enforcement that she had been planning it for a week and considered multiple options. A gun was also found inside the vehicle.
If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or calling 911 in an emergency.