Mother Accused of Killing Her Children Faces Cold Reception at Heartbreaking Funeral

A tragic incident in a Boston suburb has left a community in mourning, as a Massachusetts mother stands accused of taking the lives of her two young children. At a recent funeral service, there was no mention of the mother amidst the tributes for the children.

The lives of Kai and Ella MacAusland, aged seven and six respectively, were cut short on April 24. Police allege that their mother, Janette MacAusland, 49, strangled them at their family home in Wellesley, which was valued at $1.5 million.

Following the incident, Janette, who works as an acupuncturist, reportedly traveled to her aunt’s residence in Bennington, Vermont. There, she was apprehended and allegedly confessed to the police, expressing a desire for her and her children to “go to God together,” as reported by The Boston Globe.

Amidst a contentious divorce from her husband, 62-year-old Sam MacAusland, Janette is facing two murder charges and has entered a plea of not guilty.

This past Saturday, a heartbroken congregation of family and friends gathered at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Wellesley. They came together to honor and bid farewell to the cherished siblings, leaving the community to grapple with their loss.

Several people, including neighbors, family friends, and their father, Sam, stood in front of their small caskets, sharing bittersweet memories of Ella and Kai. 

At times, speakers would allude to the extreme circumstances surrounding their deaths, but Janette was never brought up. 

Janette was also not in attendance as she remains in custody at Western Mass Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Massachusetts. 

A funeral for Kai and Ella MacAusland was held on Saturday afternoon, weeks after their mother, Janette MacAusland, allegedly killed them

During the emotional service, the children’s father, Sam MacAusland, stood up in front of everyone and placed his hand in the shape of a heart. He said it was something his son Kai used to do

People who spoke about the brother and sister took time to mention Sam, with one close friend stating: ‘The way he loved those children was unbelievable.’

Sam also got up and shared a series of stories about his beloved children, and shared a sentimental moment with guests when he placed his hands in the shape of a heart,  telling everyone it was something Kai used to do. 

‘The most wonderful thing I loved about them was the way they helped each other,’ Sam said before leading the congregation. 

He also touched upon their favorite things to do, including dancing, swimming, drawing rainbows and hearts, and more. 

Sam also shared a song that his daughter wrote called ‘Rainbow colors.’ 

‘Rainbow shine down on my family. Rainbow shine down on my family… Rainbow colors shine down on my family,’ he said, reciting the lyrics. 

Another woman, who said she and her family live across the street from the MacAuslands, said they had spent time with Ella and Kai just days before their deaths. 

‘Our street is too quiet now. Our lives feel duller. We miss you, and you will live on in our hearts,’ the neighbor added. 

Several people stood in front of their small caskets, sharing bittersweet memories of Ella and Kai at the funeral inside St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Wellesley

Many recalled the late brother and sister sharing a special and close bond that was very strong

The hour-long service was followed by a private burial, according to Kai and Ella’s obituary. 

Kai was in second grade, and his sister was in kindergarten at Schofield Elementary School.

After her arrest, Janette was seen with a visible bloody neck injury in her mugshot. 

‘I strangled them and then I tried to kill myself,’ she told an officer with the Bennington Police Department.

‘I wanted the three of us to go to God together, but it didn’t work,’ MacAusland added, per the police report.

After hearing her chilling confession, authorities in Vermont immediately notified police in Massachusetts, who conducted a welfare check on the couple’s home, where they discovered the deceased children. 

At the time, Sam was in New Hampshire and was alerted by a neighbor that police were at his home, according to dispatch records first obtained by The Globe. 

He desperately called 911 for answers, with a dispatcher telling the police commander at the scene: ‘The father is on the phone now.. (He’s) uncontrollable.

‘He really needs to know what’s going on,’ the dispatcher said. 

The commander then said he was trying to connect Sam to law enforcement near him in New Hampshire, while investigators searched the gruesome scene where his children were murdered.

Janette shared heartwarming photos of her children alongside her estranged husband on social media before their deaths

After her arrest, Janette sported a visible bloody neck injury after admitting to police that she had tried to kill herself that night. She is due to appear in court again in July

Police said Kai and Ella were strangled to death in their family home, and their bodies were left for ‘some time’ before they were discovered, but did not elaborate on how long it was before they were found. 

The dispatch logs also revealed the moment police found the children’s bodies, as an officer reported that he arrived to find no cars in the driveway and a ‘rear door unsecured.’

The officer at the scene told dispatch that seconds after entering the home, he found evidence that a gruesome crime had been committed.

‘There’s blood splatter,’ the officer said, according to police recordings posted by Broadcastify.

As more units arrived at the home around 10pm that night, officers then found the bodies of Kai and Ella strangled to death. 

MacAusland is due to appear back in court in July and has been held without bail following her arrest.