A Missouri mother, Ashley Parmeley, has confessed to killing her two children after attempting to “sacrifice” her two-year-old son.
The 36-year-old from Festus now faces life in prison or the death penalty. According to court documents, Parmeley admitted to shooting her nine-year-old daughter, Scarlet, after the failed sacrifice attempt.
Investigators revealed that after killing Scarlet, Parmeley placed both children in her car and began driving north before drowning Isaac at Timber Creek Resort when she noticed that he was still alive.
Emergency personnel later found Isaac’s body in the water.
Parmeley subsequently walked into the Festus Police Department and confessed, leading to charges of two counts of first-degree murder.
Authorities suspect Parmeley may have been experiencing mental health issues, as she had previously mentioned suffering from depression on Facebook.
Additionally, family court records show that Parmeley was involved in a custody battle with her daughter’s father, which was resolved in 2021.
Parmeley’s family has a history of extreme violence, with her uncle having been convicted of killing his parents, who were Parmeley’s grandparents, in 1999. Currently, Parmeley is held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail, facing charges that could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.