7-Year-Old Boy Dies in Hospital Days After Mom Allegedly Drowned Him and His 12-Year-Old Brother
A 7-year-old California boy has died one week after his mother allegedly drowned him and his 12-year-old brother in an irrigation ditch, PEOPLE confirms.
The mom, Sherri Telnas, allegedly committed the crime a week before Jacob Ray Telnas’ death on Sunday, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release obtained by PEOPLE.
According to investigators, early on the morning of June 29, Telnas, 45, brought Jacob and older brother Jackson to a field across the street from the Porterville home where they were staying and allegedly drowned them in an irrigation canal near a corn field. She allegedly left their bodies behind.
A witness called 911 to report Telnas was acting “strangely.” Upon arrival, authorities attempted to revive both boys, who were brought to a local hospital where Jackson, 12, succumbed to his injuries.
RELATED: Calif. Mom Accused of Killing 12-Year-Old Son She Tried to Drown Before When He Was a Baby
Jacob was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in critical condition. He was kept on life support up until his death on Sunday. He was surrounded by family when he died, WPVI reports.
“They had an hour with Jacob Ray to love up on him, [his father] got a chance to spend time with him and tell him how much he loves him,” Jacob’s grandmother, grandmother, Diana Keeland, told the station.
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Telnas is currently charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance of lying in wait, one count of attempted murder causing great bodily injury, one count of gassing, and one count of battery on a peace officer, the Visalia Times Delta and the Fresno Bee report.
An autopsy is scheduled to determine a cause of death for Jacob. No murder charges have been filed in his death as of Monday.
Previous Attempt to Kill Older Son
In 2008, Telnas tried to drown Jackson, then 10 months old, in a Montana river, according to a Mineral County Sheriff’s Office press release obtained by PEOPLE.
Telnas admitted to attempting to drown Jackson because “bad thoughts or voices told her to do so,” the press release states.
The following year, as part of a a plea deal, Tenlas pleaded no contest to two counts of criminal endangerment.
She was sentenced to 20 years in prison but only served six years and was later released at the recommendation of her parole officer, according to the Bee.
A statement in court documents recommending her release, which were obtained by the Bee, reads, “It will not present an unreasonable risk of danger to the victim of the offense.”
Had she not been released, Telnas’ parole would have lasted until 2027.
It is unclear whether Telnas has an attorney to comment on her behalf. She has pleaded not guilty on the charges she faces and remains in custody without bond.
