On February 19, 2024, 9-year-old Ivy Jane Arlette Pruessner died from thermal injury and inhalation of products of combustion when her mother, Bernadine "Birdie" Pruessner, intentionally set a mattress on fire at their home in Ferguson, Missouri, at approximately 4:30 a.m. The fire also killed Ivy's twin sister Ellie (9), half-brother Jackson Spader (5), and half-sister Millie Spader (2), as well as the mother herself. Police ruled the incident a murder-suicide after finding a suicide note stating Bernadine's intentions to take her own life and those of her children. The mother had been engaged in contentious custody battles with two ex-partners and was described as being in an "awful place" due to the ongoing litigation.
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?
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 medical examiner report lists the cause of death as "Thermal injury and inhalation of products of combustion" and the manner as homicide. The news article states that "Bernadine intentionally set a mattress on fire as that was the point of origin for the fire" and "A note was also left stating Bernadine's intentions to take her life and the lives of her children." The thermal injuries were deliberately inflicted by the mother through arson.
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 explicitly states: "the St. Louis County Police Department confirmed that investigators ruled the fire a murder-suicide." The mother, Bernadine Pruessner, perished in the fire along with her four children.
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 news article states that Bernadine "Birdie" Pruessner, the biological mother of all four children including Ivy, "intentionally set a mattress on fire" and left "A note...stating Bernadine's intentions to take her life and the lives of her children." The police ruled it a murder-suicide committed by the mother.
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)?
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?
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 news article states that the mother was in an "awful place" at the time of her death due to ongoing custody litigation. The act itself — a murder-suicide with a suicide note — strongly implies significant mental health distress. The family's GoFundMe statement describes her being in an "awful place," and her lawyer stated, "apparently I missed every sign," suggesting there were signs of mental distress that went unrecognized. While no specific diagnosis is named, the context of suicide with a note and the description of her mental state references 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?
Notable Details
The news article provides several notable contextual details not addressed by prior questions. Bernadine Pruessner was a 2013 Missouri Teacher of the Year from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence and a Lewis & Clark Community College professor. She was simultaneously fighting custody battles with two different ex-partners — her ex-husband David Pruessner (father of twins Ellie and Ivy) and ex-boyfriend Jared Spader (father of Jackson and Millie). Her family's statement and her lawyer alleged the two fathers "coordinated their efforts" against her and that "the process and system for resolution of those claims" was "cumbersome, tedious and never ending." Hours before the fire, she posted on Facebook: "All my kids, peacefully sleeping in my bed…Knowing they are loved so fiercely that I'd do absolutely anything for them" and the day before wrote about "Making today one of those live each day like it's your last kind of days!" A suicide note was also found stating her intentions. Her lawyer earned less than $60,000 a year and "struggled to keep up with the costs of the legal jockeying." These details about dual custody battles, systemic frustration with family courts, and the financial burden of litigation may be relevant to understanding systemic factors contributing to this murder-suicide.
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