Ashley Parmeley, 36, of Pevely has been charged in Jefferson County for allegedly killing her 2-year-old son, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is seeking further charges against her for the death of her 9-year-old daughter through the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Sheriff Dave Marshak announced tonight, May 28.
Marshak said Parmeley confessed to officers at the Festus Police Station this morning that she killed her children. She was being held tonight in the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro without bond, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Parmeley, who also has lived in Festus, with second-degree murder, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Deputies found the 2-year-old boy in a fountain this morning at the Timber Creek Resort, 4800 Hwy. 67, south of Olympian Village.
Parmely’s daughter was found in a Mazda SUV that her mother had driven to the Festus Police Department. Investigators believe the girl was shot in the 9000 block of Hwy. E near Bonne Terre, which is in St. Francois County, Marshak said.
Marshak said it looks like the boy was drowned after the shooting, and it appears Parmeley shot her daughter and then drove to the Festus Police Station with the girl inside the SUV.
She reportedly arrived at about 10:30 a.m. at the Festus Police Station, 100 Park Ave., and said she killed her children.
Marshak said Parmeley appeared to be disheveled and wet when talking to Festus Police.
He said Festus Police officers found the girl in the SUV and started life-saving measures.
However, the girl died.
Marshak said investigators found a gun in the SUV.
He also said because of Parmeley’s statements, Festus Police contacted the Sheriff’s Office about the boy being drowned at the Timber Creek Resort, and deputies immediately were dispatched to the resort, which is operated by Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
A deputy dove into the water to retrieve the boy, and deputies performed life-saving measures. However, the boy died.
Marshak said as of Tuesday, there was no evidence the woman and children had been guests of the resort.
On Tuesday evening, Marshak said it was too early to know Parmeley’s motives, adding that he was not aware of any previous police interaction with her.
Sheriff’s Office deputies also located a woman who is older than 18 and related to Parmeley. The woman had been seen with Parmeley and children on Monday, May 27.
The other woman was found unharmed following a short search for her on Tuesday afternoon, Marshak said.
“The men and women of the Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Festus Police Department, Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Trisha Stefanski’s office and the St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for their cooperation in this case,” Marshak said in a written statement announcing the charges Parmeley is facing in Jefferson County. “We also extend our deepest sympathies to the family and all first responders who were touched by today’s tragedy.”
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Previous update: Update: Two children found dead in Jefferson County; woman arrested
A 9-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy were found dead Tuesday morning in Jefferson County, and a 36-year-old woman suspected of killing the children is in custody, officials reported.
Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said the woman confessed to officers at the Festus Police Station that she killed the children.
He said the woman was arrested and was being held in the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro. He also said the Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation and working with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to file charges against the woman.
“I have been in touch with our prosecuting attorney,” he said. “They will work throughout the evening, along with our investigators, because we have much more work to do. I assure everybody in the community that our law enforcement partner in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is up to speed and willing to do whatever it takes to get justice.”
On Tuesday evening, Marshak said it was too early to know the woman’s motives.
He also said he was not aware of any previous police interaction with the woman.
Marshak said the woman had multiple addresses listed in Festus, but he would not provide additional information about her or the children, saying the Sheriff’s Office was still trying to contact their relatives on Tuesday evening.
The 9-year-old girl appears to have been shot in the 9000 block of Hwy. E near Bonne Terre, Marshak said, adding that the Sheriff’s Office is working with the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department to investigate that area.
He said it looks like the 2-year-old boy was drowned after the shooting, and it appears the woman drove to the Festus Police Station with the girl, who had already been shot, in a Mazda SUV.
The woman reportedly arrived at about 10:30 a.m. at the Festus Police Station, 100 Park Ave., and said she killed her children.
Marshak said the woman appeared to be disheveled and wet when talking to Festus Police.
He said Festus Police officers found the girl in the SUV and started life-saving measures.
However, the girl died.
Marshak said investigators found a gun in the SUV.
He also said because of the woman’s statements, Festus Police contacted the Sheriff’s Office about the boy being drowned at the Timber Creek Resort, 4800 Hwy. 67, south of Festus and north of Olympian Village. Deputies immediately were dispatched to the resort, which is operated by Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
Deputies found the boy in a fountain near the resort’s entrance. A deputy dove into the water to retrieve the boy, and deputies performed life-saving measures. However, the boy died.
Marshak said as of Tuesday, there was no evidence the woman and children had been guests of the resort.
Sheriff’s Office deputies also located a woman who is older than 18 and related to the suspect who was seen with the suspect and children on Monday, May 27.
She was found unharmed following a short search for her on Tuesday afternoon, Marshak said.
“As officers continue to interview (the suspect), I know we will discover a lot of information,” Marshak said. “We feel comfortable in sharing we don’t believe there are other victims in the community. Jefferson County continues to be a safe place, despite this horrible tragedy.
“I would ask for additional prayers tonight for our first responder community. Law enforcement officers under adverse conditions attempted to save the lives of two small children.”
Marshak said the Sheriff’s Office’s mental health and crisis response team members and its chaplains are available to speak with and assist the deputies and officers who found the children.
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Previous update: Woman suspected of killing her two children in Jefferson County
A woman allegedly shot and killed one of her children and drowned another one this morning, May 28, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The woman was being held today at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, Sheriff Dave Marshak said.
He said the Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation because as of early this afternoon, authorities did not know where the children were killed.
Marshak said the children were both younger than 10 but would not release other details about the children or the woman until their relatives are contacted.
He said the suspect and children have ties to Jefferson County.
Marshak said another woman who is older than 18 was seen with the suspect and the children on Monday, May 27, and that woman was located this afternoon unharmed.
Marshak plans to hold a news conference at 4 p.m. today at the Festus City Hall and Police Station to provide an update about the investigation.
“There is a lot of investigation that still needs to happen,” he said at 1:15 p.m. today, during an earlier news conference. “Law enforcement is doing everything we can to track down every possible lead to bring this to some resolution quickly.”
Marshak said at about 10:30 a.m. today, the woman drove a Mazda SUV to the Festus Police Station, 100 Park Ave. After she entered the Police Station, she allegedly said she killed her children.
The child who was shot was in the SUV, and officers attempted life-saving measures. However, the child died.
Marshak said investigators found a gun in the SUV, adding that investigators believe the child was shot before arriving at the Police Station.
A second child was found at the Timber Creek Resort, 4800 Hwy. 67, south of Festus and north of Olympian Village. The resort is operated by Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
Marshak said Sheriff’s Office deputies found the child who had drowned, and they also attempted life-saving measures. However, that child also died.
Marshak would not say if the woman and children were staying at the resort.
“This situation is a tragedy for our community,” Marshak said. “It is a tragedy for the family and the victims, and anybody who know this family.”
Marshak said the Sheriff’s Office is working with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to determine if the woman will be charged for killing the children.
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Original story: Sheriff’s Office investigates death of two children
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths of two juveniles. One of the children was shot and killed, and the other child appears to have been drowned, spokesman Grant Bissell said.
He said a woman suspected of killing the two children is in custody, adding that he did not know the woman’s relationship to the children.
Bissell said the child who was shot was inside a vehicle that was found today, May 28, in the Festus Police Department’s parking lot.
He said it is unknown who drove the vehicle to Festus or where the child had been shot.
A press conference is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. today near the Festus Police Station. More information will be reported when available.