​

A mother from an affluent Boston suburb was arrested in Vermont after police say she killed her two young children.

Janette MacAusland, 49, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, was taken into custody by police in Bennington, Vermont on Friday night after she arrived at a family home in that town “appearing highly distraught,” and having a visible, bloody neck injury.

“Officers attempted to engage her in conversation and, during the interaction, became increasingly concerned for the welfare of her children,” the Bennington Police Department said in a release.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Police say they contacted Wellesley authorities for a welfare check at her Massachusetts home. When Wellesley police arrived on the scene, they made a grisly discovery. They say MacAusland’s two children were found dead.

They took MacAusland into custody as a fugitive from justice, and said Massachusetts issued a criminal warrant for two counts of murder. She is being held in the Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Vermont and will be arraigned Monday afternoon at Rutland Criminal Division court.

SIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

The court said it did not know whether Rutland has an attorney.

MacAusland’s husband, Samuel MacAusland, filed for divorce in October after nine years of marriage, citing an “irretrievable breakdown of the marriage,” court records show. Those documents also list their two children, seven-year-old Kai and six-year-old Ella. Samuel was seeking custody of the children.

The children attended Schofield Elementary School.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“We were devastated to learn of the tragic death of two of our WPS students, a second-grader and kindergartener at Schofield Elementary School,” Wellesley Public schools said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.

“This is an unimaginable loss that will be deeply felt not just at Schofield but across our entire community. Our crisis team is planning support for students, staff, and families as we prepare for the reopening of school on Monday. I ask that we all keep this family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

​

The man convicted in the cold-blooded killing of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller was sentenced Monday to 115 years to life in prison, as a judge made clear the defendant will “most certainly die in a prison cell.”

Guy Rivera, 36, was handed the sentence in a Queens courtroom after being convicted of aggravated manslaughter and attempted murder in the March 2024 shooting of the 31-year-old detective during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway, according to Fox 5 New York and the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

Rivera was also convicted of attempting to murder NYPD Sgt. Sasha Rosen, who was on scene during the shooting.

The sentencing unfolded inside a packed courtroom, where Diller’s family delivered emotional statements about the devastation left behind — what his widow has described as a “life sentence of grief.”

TENNESSEE REPEAT FELON CHARGED IN RHODES COLLEGE STUDENT’S 2021 MURDER LEARNS HIS FATE

Before handing down the sentence, Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise acknowledged the family’s pain — while underscoring the reality Rivera now faces.

“The defendant killed your loved one… there are no words in the English language that are going to take away the pain and suffering,” Aloise said. “Not even the knowledge that this defendant will most certainly die in a prison cell and I promise you he will.”

Rivera was found guilty earlier this month of aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder of a police officer and multiple weapons charges. However, the jury acquitted him of first-degree murder, a decision that drew fierce backlash from law enforcement officials and the detective’s supporters.

FAMILY OF FALLEN VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER SAY EXPECTING FATHER, 25, ‘NEVER HESITATED’ TO HELP THOSE IN NEED

That verdict has continued to spark backlash.

The split decision came after tense deliberations, with jurors initially sent back after one member broke ranks during polling, forcing further discussion before a final verdict was reached.

Following the verdict, a former NYPD sergeant said on “FOX & Friends First” that jurors “absolutely missed the mark” by rejecting the top charge.

DANIEL PENNY DEFENSE EYES MANHATTAN DA ALVIN BRAGG FOR POTENTIAL MALICIOUS PROSECUTION LAWSUIT

“When you intentionally bring an illegal firearm onto a street, you hold it in your hand, and you pull a trigger, you know the consequences,” Joseph Imperatrice said at the time. “For this jury to turn around and not think for one second that that was murder… that’s intentional, and they absolutely missed the mark here.”

Legal analysts also raised concerns in the days after the verdict.

“You attempted to kill the one officer, but then they struggled with intent on the first-degree charge… it does seem as though there was some misunderstanding as far as the law goes,” Fox News contributor Josh Ritter said.

REPEAT OFFENDER KILLS 2 DEPUTIES DAYS AFTER $50K BOND DESPITE LONG VIOLENT RECORD: POLICE

According to prosecutors, the deadly encounter unfolded on March 25, 2024, when Diller and members of the NYPD’s Community Response Team approached a suspiciously parked vehicle in Far Rockaway.

Authorities said Rivera ignored repeated commands to exit the vehicle before pulling a .380-caliber handgun and firing, striking Diller in the abdomen below his bulletproof vest.

After shooting Diller, Rivera pointed the gun at Sgt. Rosen and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed, prosecutors said. Diller managed to wrestle the gun away before collapsing from his injuries.

COP WHO KILLED DRUG SUSPECT WITH IGLOO COOLER APPEALS CONVICTION THAT MADE HIM AN EXAMPLE

He later died at the hospital.

Diller, who had been off duty earlier that day, had been at a park with his wife and young son before being called in.

“The last words Detective Jonathan Diller told his wife were ‘I love you,’” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

GOT A TIP?

In a statement following the sentencing, Katz said the punishment ensures Rivera “will never be free again to terrorize the streets of New York City.”

“Jonathan Diller represented the very best of law enforcement: courage, commitment and service to community,” she said. “The void left by his senseless loss… is immeasurable.”

In court, Diller’s widow spoke directly about the life that was taken from her family.

“The court has called this manslaughter. But for me, there is nothing lesser about the loss I live with every day,” she said. “There is silence in my home where there should be his voice… I live with conversations that will never happen.”

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

His mother also described a life permanently shattered.

“On March 25th, 2024, this defendant made the conscious choice to pull the trigger and take Jonathan’s life, robbing him of his future and destroying my life at the same time, she said. “Since March 25th, 2024. My world has been completely shattered. Everything feels empty without him.”

“I didn’t just lose my son, I lost watching him continue to grow, to love, to be the incredible father that I knew he would always be,” she continued.

The case has become a broader symbol of frustration among law enforcement, with critics pointing to repeat offenders and what they describe as failures in the justice system.

Outside court, a large showing of NYPD officers gathered in support of Diller’s family, underscoring the impact the case has had across the department.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Diller was posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade. He is survived by his wife and young son.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion and Taylor Penley contributed to this report. 

​

A North Dakota state representative and the pilot of a small plane were killed after they crashed shortly after takeoff Saturday near Crystal Airport in a Minneapolis suburb.

Rep. Liz Conmy, D-Fargo, was identified as one of the two people killed when the Beech F33A went down in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and caught fire.

“Liz served her state and community with care and compassion, from her service in the Legislature and on the state’s Human Trafficking Commission to her work on education, habitat and immigration,” North Dakota GOP Gov. Kelly Armstrong wrote in a statement. “Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers.”

Armstrong directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff from dawn to dusk on the day of Conmy’s interment, encouraging North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses.

DC PLANE CRASH: VICTIM’S FAMILY SEEKS $250 MILLION IN FIRST LEGAL ACTION SINCE DEADLY COLLISION

“I am heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rep. Conmy, a dear friend and former colleague with whom I had the privilege of serving in the state House,” Lt. GOP Gov. Michelle Strinden wrote in a statement. “Liz brought integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication to her work on the Education and Judiciary committees, and I was proud to partner with her on efforts to strengthen our schools. My thoughts are with her family and all who knew and loved her.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were aboard, but the pilot was not immediately publicly identified.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate, Fox 9 reported.

WHO ARE THE SHOOTING VICTIMS IN THE ‘TARGETED’ ATTACKS AGAINST MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS?

“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy,” the North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party wrote Saturday on X.

“Her death is a profound loss for our state. As a lawmaker, she championed public education, the environment, and transparency.”

Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe said officers were called at 11:51 a.m. to a report of a small plane crash in a park area. Emergency crews found the aircraft engulfed in flames after it crashed shortly after departing from Crystal Airport, north of Minneapolis. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and extinguished the fire, but there were no survivors.

Neighbors near the crash site described hearing a loud explosion and seeing flames shoot up from the wreckage.

“I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom,” Ashley Capp, who lives across the street, told FOX 9.

Another neighbor, Kim Clark, said the scene unfolded quickly.

“We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire,” Clark told the station. “Everybody started calling 911.”

State Sen. Tim Mathern, who described Conmy as a friend and former running mate, said she brought “a zest for life and a strong work ethic” and would be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The crash was the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year, according to FOX 9.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

​

Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here’s what you need to know to start your day …

TOP 3

1. What we know about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect

2. Former WHCA president calls out ‘disturbing’ claims from liberals on the shooting

3. Trump admits he slowed Secret Service evacuation to see what happened
 

MAJOR HEADLINES

DIPLOMATIC PITCH — Iran gives new deal to US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, bring an end to the war.Continue reading …

CHANGE OF TUNE — Steve Kerr admits he was ‘wrong’ on Hong Kong, regrets calling Trump a ‘buffoon.’Continue reading …

BETWEEN THE LINES — Mamdani unveils racial equity plan that expert warns is even worse than it seems. Continue reading …

HISTORIC TRIP — Each stop on King Charles, Queen Camilla’s US visit: Here’s where they’re traveling. Continue reading …

THAT SETTLES IT — Archaeologists crack ‘Spanish Roanoke’ mystery with haunting find from doomed colony.Continue reading …

—

POLITICS

ROYAL REUNION — King Charles heads to Trump White House as America marks 250 years since breaking from the crown. Continue reading …

MIXED SIGNALS — GOP governor hopeful’s Trump-backed pitch meets an awkward paper trail inside candidate’s own company. Continue reading …

‘FAILED THOSE KIDS’ — California gov hopeful Xavier Becerra haunted by migrant children scandal from HHS tenure. Continue reading …

TASTELESS TOAST — Dem-owned brewery celebrates DC dinner attack with ‘free beer day’ post.Continue reading …

Click here for more cartoons…
 

MEDIA

SECURITY SHAKEUP — Lawmaker questions hotel metal detector setup at Correspondent’s Dinner.Continue reading …

TRUST IN TATTERS — MS NOW hosts call out ‘disturbing’ left-wing theories WHCD shooting was ‘false flag.’Continue reading …

ROAST GONE WRONG — Late-night host’s vile jabs at the First Lady preceded dinner shooting chaos.Continue reading …

REGRETFUL WORDS — CNN commentator said Trump ‘wants us dead’ minutes before WH dinner shooting scare. Continue reading …

OPINION

ARTHUR HERMAN — Trump has Iran on the ropes — and critics still don’t get his edge. Continue reading … 

ERICH PRATT — Virginia senators want to inflict their tyrannical gun strategy on entire country. Continue reading …

—

IN OTHER NEWS

GUT CHECK — Bacteria in your mouth may travel to the gut and trigger stomach cancer. Continue reading …

SET THE ‘STANDARD’ — Super Bowl champion Monte Coleman dead at 68. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on baseball bests and restaurant revamps. Take the quiz here …

HOLY HARVEST — Questions raised after study detects carrots, melons on Jesus’ ‘burial shroud.’ Continue reading …

PORK IN THE ROAD — Traffic police chase runaway pig. See video …

WATCH

TODD BLANCHE — WHCD shooting should be wake-up call for Congress to fund DHS. See video …

ASRA NOMANI — Suspect in WHCD operated and lived in an ecosystem that too him from nerdy geek to attacker. See video …

LISTEN

Tune in as we explore how adaptive artificial intelligence is reshaping education and what it means for the future of classroom learning. Check it out …

FOX WEATHER

What’s it looking like in your neighborhood?Continue reading…

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn
 

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

Fox News First

Fox News Opinion

Fox News Lifestyle

Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Fox News

Fox Business

Fox Weather

Fox Sports

Tubi

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Fox News Go

Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday.

​

A New York woman was convicted after authorities said she threw a handmade stick of dynamite at her boyfriend while he was sleeping, causing his hand to be blown off as he attempted to get rid of the explosive.

Keyonna Waddell, 35, of Deer Park on Long Island, was found guilty by a jury on Friday of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the March 2024 incident.

Waddell had threatened the victim with dynamite several times in the months leading up to the incident, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

WOMAN CHARGED IN MAN’S FATAL STABBING OUTSIDE UPSCALE LONG ISLAND YACHT CLUB

“Domestic violence can escalate to deadly levels, and this case is a sobering reminder of that reality,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement.

On March 22, 2024, Waddell and her boyfriend were involved in an argument inside his apartment, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

After the dispute, the man left the apartment and told Waddell to leave. When he arrived back home, Waddell did not appear to be there, and he went to sleep.

He was later woken up by a hissing sound and noticed a flame on the floor of his bedroom. He then realized that a stick of dynamite had been thrown into his bedroom and attempted to toss the explosive device out of the window, but it detonated and blew off most of his hand before he was able to throw it out of harm’s way.

The victim then ran out of his home to the driveway, at which point he saw Waddell running away.

He was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where the remainder of his hand and part of his arm were amputated.

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING VICTIM IN FACE WITH CROSSBOW: POLICE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Waddell was arrested the following day, officials said. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 27, and she could face up to 25 years in prison.

“Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and the Suffolk County Police Department, a dangerous individual has been held accountable and will face a lengthy prison sentence for this horrific act,” Tierney said in his statement.