Tennessee Mom Allegedly Smothers 1-Year-Old Son and 4-Year-Old Daughter to Death with Lilo & Stitch Blanket
(Image: Washington County Detention Center/Facebook)
In a tragic and chilling case, a Tennessee mother has been accused of using a “Lilo & Stitch” blanket to smother her one-year-old son and four-year-old daughter. Jessica Chandler, 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of her children, Vista and Eli Chandler.
Police were called to Chandler’s home on Omaha Lane in Johnson City on October 29 after the children’s father found them unresponsive. Officer Gary Price testified in court that the father was desperately attempting CPR on the children in the front yard when authorities arrived. Inside the home, Chandler was found in a bathtub with cuts on her arms.
Price also noted the discovery of razor blades near the tub. Initially, police suspected the children may have been poisoned, as no visible injuries were found on their bodies. However, Chandler later allegedly confessed to using her children’s “Lilo & Stitch” blanket to smother them, WCYB reported.
According to Johnson City Police Department Investigator Michael Fowler, Chandler admitted she first suffocated her daughter Vista in her bed before doing the same to her son Eli. The children were transported to a hospital but were pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Autopsies confirmed the cause of death as “asphyxiation by smothering.”
Investigators also found three notes taped to cabinets near the front door of the home. Fowler testified that the notes revealed Chandler’s intent to kill her children and take her own life. During questioning, Chandler reportedly cited multiple reasons for her actions, including struggles with her past and an inability to protect her children following an incident involving their father.
“She explained a lot about her past life experiences,” Fowler said, according to WJHL. “There [were] various contributions.” An obituary for Vista and Eli described them as “perfect in every way.” It shared heartfelt memories of the siblings: Vista loved riding her e-bike, playing in her sandbox, and picking flowers for others.
Eli, who had just started walking, loved playing with trucks, eating, and laughing with his sister. “They were inseparable,” the obituary read. Chandler’s case has been bound over to a grand jury, with her bond set at $2 million. Her next court appearance is scheduled for March 31 during the Washington County Grand Jury’s upcoming session.
