On February 18, 2024, a 34-year-old mother shot and killed her two children — an 8-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy — with a handgun inside their apartment on Maywood Avenue in Middleton, Wisconsin. The children's 31-year-old father was also shot multiple times as he exited the residence but survived and was hospitalized. The mother then turned the gun on herself and died by suicide. Medical professionals determined the children's injuries were non-accidental. The family had an extensive history with child protective services dating back to 2017, including multiple screened-in reports alleging neglect by the mother and a substantiated neglect finding in 2019 that led to CHIPS proceedings. The most recent CPS report had been screened in just four months before the fatal incident in October 2023. Physical abuse of the children by the mother was substantiated following the agency's assessment.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The news article explicitly states: "A 34-year-old woman shot her family members with a handgun inside an apartment on Maywood Avenue." Both children were "struck and killed by gunfire."
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 news article states: "Two children, an 8-year-old female and a 5-year-old male, were struck and killed by gunfire." The 90-day summary report further states: "Medical professionals determined the injuries were non-accidental in nature." The children were shot by their mother with a handgun, constituting inflicted injury.
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?
The news article states that the mother shot and killed her two children, then "turned the gun on herself and ended her own life." This is a clear 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?
Both the 90-day summary report and the news article confirm the biological mother was responsible for the children's deaths. The 90-day report states: "The Initial Assessment completed by the agency found a preponderance of the evidence to substantiate physical abuse of the children by their mother." The news article states: "A 34-year-old woman shot her family members with a handgun" and identifies her as "the mother of the children."
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 90-day summary report documents an extensive history of CPS reports involving these children, including: a CPS Report on March 24, 2017 alleging neglect (unsubstantiated); CPS Reports on May 6, 2019 and June 27, 2019 alleging neglect (both unsubstantiated); a CPS Report on December 15, 2019 alleging neglect that was substantiated, leading to CHIPS proceedings; and a CPS Report on October 18, 2023 alleging neglect (unsubstantiated). Multiple screened-out reports also appear in the record.
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?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The news article quotes Middleton Police Captain Tyler Loether: "Domestic violence has no place in our community. The Middleton Police Department remains committed to thoroughly investigating domestic violence incidents and enforcing the law to the fullest extent." The police explicitly characterized the mother's shooting of her children and the children's father as domestic violence.
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?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details merit attention: (1) This case involved two children killed in the same incident, and the children's father was also shot multiple times but survived. The news article states: "A 31-year-old male was struck by gunfire multiple times as he exited the residence" and that he "remains hospitalized but is no longer in intensive care." (2) The family had an extensive CPS history spanning from 2017 to 2023, including a substantiated neglect finding in December 2019 that led to CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) proceedings, as well as a screened-in CPS report as recently as October 18, 2023 — just four months before the children's deaths. Despite this extensive history, no services were being provided to the family at the time of the fatal incident. (3) No criminal charges can be filed because the perpetrator died by suicide.
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