A therapist in Washington state shot and killed her twin 7-year-old daughters while they were sleeping, said the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office on Monday. The woman, 55-year-old Michele Boudreau Deegan, then died by suicide, according to authorities.
Authorities said that a roommate at the multi-level home reported finding his landlord and her children dead in an upstairs bedroom.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office says a mother shot & killed her 7-year-old daughters while sleeping in bed & then turned the gun on herself. Investigators say they were discovered in a bedroom during a welfare check Saturday. Detectives believe the motive was a custody dispute. pic.twitter.com/6Ktuu2cIvB
— Franque Thompson (@FranqueThompson) October 26, 2020
Investigators suggested this crime happened on Friday evening. They say preliminary findings show that the suspect was in a custody dispute in connection to the children. That looks like the primary motive, deputies said.
The girls were identified as Mairy Anneleise Deegan and Katie Elizabeth Deegan, according to The Bellingham Herald.
Boudreau was a psychotherapist. Posts on her Facebook page often concerned abuse. A spate of these were put up on Friday, with headlines “Why Survivors of Malignant Narcissists Don’t Get the Justice They Deserve,” and “Depression and Suicidal Thoughts Caused by Narcissistic Relationships.” In one post Friday morning, the post author wrote, “Abuse is forever,” over a link that featured the headline, “The Narcissist – From Abuse to Suicide.”
A sheriff’s office spokesperson told the Herald that deputies had not responded to the residence within a year for 911 calls in connection to matters including domestic violence or mental health. A source, described as a “a person who knows the family situation,” told KIRO7 that others looked out for the girls, and contacted child welfare. This individual said the mother was troubled.
[Screengrab via Q13 Fox]