On September 26, 2023, in Mitchell, Indiana, 1-year-old Madelyn "Maddy" Shelton and her 3-year-old brother Jackson were forcibly drowned in a bathtub by their mother, Brittany Medina. The mother reported that around 2:30 p.m. she began hearing voices telling her she needed to "send her children to heaven" or they would be kidnapped and tortured. She filled the bathtub, told her children she loved them, then submerged both simultaneously by holding them around their necks until they died. After the killings, the mother changed into dry clothes and drove to the Lawrence County Jail to confess. The mother had a history of auditory hallucinations and had received mental health treatment and medication, which she said did not help. She also admitted to daily use of cocaine and unprescribed Xanax. She was arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of felony neglect of a dependent causing a child's death.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
All three documents identify drowning as the cause of death. The vital records document (INME_2023_MS.pdf) states "Cause of Death: DROWNING" with ICD-10 code X92 (assault by drowning and submersion). The DCS report describes "forcible drowning." The news article details the mother submerging the children in a bathtub.
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The DCS fatality report describes the cause of death as "forcible drowning." The news article provides further detail: "Medina then described submerging both children underwater simultaneously by holding them around their necks. The mother said she held them down 'until Jackson no longer had a pulse' and quit moving." This constitutes an inflicted injury — the mother physically held the children underwater by their necks.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The DCS fatality report explicitly identifies the "Perpetrator: Mother." The news article identifies the mother as Brittany Medina, who confessed to drowning both children. The DCS report states: "the mother drove herself to the police station and said she had drowned her children while the father was at work."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The DCS fatality report states: "Number of previous unsubstantiated assessments for victim: 3-year-old boy, 2; 1-year-old girl, 0." While the 1-year-old girl (Madelyn) had no prior reports, her sibling the 3-year-old boy had 2 prior unsubstantiated assessments, indicating a history of child protection reports for siblings in the household.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The news article states: "Brittany Medina, a 33-year-old woman living in Mitchell, was arrested on two counts of murder this week after police began investigating the deaths." It further notes: "She now faces two charges of felony murder and two charges of felony neglect of a dependent causing a child's death."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The DCS fatality report states: "The mother stated she had been hearing voices and believed that her children were going to have a life of torture. The mother stated she had received mental health treatment and was prescribed medication, but it did not help." The news article corroborates this, reporting that the mother heard "voices in her head" telling her to "send her children to heaven." These references to auditory hallucinations, mental health treatment, and prescribed medication clearly reference the caregiver's mental health.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The DCS fatality report states: "The mother admitted to using cocaine and unprescribed Xanax daily and felt that the illegal drug use and audible hallucinations caused her to snap." The news article adds that the mother "admitted to taking a half gram of Xanax and a suboxone strip the night before" and "had also snorted three separate lines of cocaine."
Notable Details
Several notable details are present. First, this was a double homicide — the child's 3-year-old brother Jackson was killed in the same incident by the same method. The news article states the mother "described submerging both children underwater simultaneously by holding them around their necks." Second, the mother voluntarily confessed by driving herself to the Lawrence County Jail immediately after the murders, as reported in both the DCS report and the news article. Third, the DCS report notes that "family members were aware of her hearing voices but were not aware they concerned her children," suggesting a potential missed intervention point. Fourth, despite the mother having a history of mental health treatment and prescribed medication, the DCS report states "it did not help," and she was simultaneously using cocaine and unprescribed Xanax daily — a dangerous combination of untreated/undertreated mental illness and substance abuse that preceded the fatal event.
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