Mother walks into police station after killing 2 kids, sheriff says

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department Provided an update on the double homicide involving two children on May 28, 2024. (Source: KMOV)
Published: May. 28, 2024 at 4:30 PM EDT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV/Gray News) – A mother arrived at a Missouri police station on Tuesday morning and told officers she killed her two children, according to officials.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said that 36-year-old Ashley Parmeley arrived at the Festus Police Department and said she killed her two children. She was charged Tuesday evening with second-degree murder.

Festus is located about 35 miles south of St. Louis.

Officers discovered that one of the children, 9, was shot inside the car parked outside the station. They went outside and attempted life-saving measures, but the child was pronounced dead.

According to the sheriff’s department, Parmeley’s clothing was wet when she arrived at the police station.

Upon further questioning, the officers went to the area of Timber Creek Resort in rural Festus, where they found another child, 2, who was an apparent victim of drowning. They again attempted lifesaving measures, but the child was also dead.

Deputies then went searching for a third child, who was a related family member but not the suspect’s child. They were able to locate the child alive, the sheriff said.

Police have not released the names of the victims. KMOV reports the 9-year-old was a girl and the 2-year-old was a boy.

Parmeley was taken into custody. She is currently only charged in one of her children’s deaths, but the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says it intends to ask prosecutors to charge her in connection with the other one’s death, as well.