Mom Charged After Bringing Deceased Daughter to E.R. Had Son Who Choked to Death in April
Authorities in Louisiana are reviewing the 2016 death of a young father and the more recent death of his son after investigators say the boy’s mother allegedly murdered her daughter last week and claimed she died in a car accident.
On July 23, Jasmine Anderson was charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of her 5-year-old daughter Audrey Lynn Chelette.
On Thursday, Anderson allegedly attempted to commit suicide by hanging herself in her Rapides Parish jail cell. Medics were able to revive Anderson after she had flatlined and transported her to a hospital with a pulse, Alexandria Police Department Cpl. Wade Bourgeois tells PEOPLE.
Her current condition was not immediately clear.
Three years ago, Audrey’s father, Christopher Dawayne Chelette, 20, died after he hanged himself. Last April, Anderson’s 4-year-old son, Christopher Dawayne Chelette Jr., died after she said he choked on a bottle cap.
Now, Alexandria investigators are revisiting the pair’s deaths.
“We are taking another look at our files and reviewing the previous incidents,” Bourgeois says. “But as far as reopening the cases, no, we are not at this time.”
RELATED: La. Mom Charged with Murder After Allegedly Bringing Dead Daughter to E.R., Lying About Car Crash
Alexandria police began investigating Audrey’s death after Anderson brought her dead body to a hospital emergency room on July 17 allegedly claiming she had been injured in a car accident. When authorities realized Audrey’s injuries were not consistent with a crash and there was no evidence backing Anderson’s story of a crash, she was charged with second degree murder.
Following news of Anderson’s arrest, Audrey’s paternal grandmother, Kendra Foster, told NBC News she was suspicious of the mother.
“[Anderson] was with them in their dying moments— all three of them— and none of them lived,” Foster said.
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In a message to Alexandria Town Talk, Foster’s fiancée, DeAnna Robertson, said the family had contacted the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services for help before the death of the children.
“These kids needed help, and we reached out to everyone we could,” Robertson said. “We tried to get custody of those babies and wasn’t allowed to. CPS failed my babies!”
Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services could not be reached for comment.
Attorney information for Anderson was not available Friday and it wasn’t immediately clear if she has entered a plea.
