Acupuncturist pleads not guilty to murdering her two children in court

Janette MacAusland pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder during her arraignment on Tuesday afternoon, the Daily Mail reported. The 49-year-old acupuncturist is accused of killing her seven-year-old son, Kai, and six-year-old daughter, Ella. She appeared handcuffed and cried throughout the court hearing in Norfolk Superior Court. [1]

The Daily Mail reported that the Boston Globe initially covered the court appearance, noting that MacAusland kept her head down and eyes shut. A grand jury indicted MacAusland last month on the murder charges. The deaths of the two children occurred in April inside the family home, which is valued at 1.5 million dollars. [1]

The killings took place while MacAusland was going through a bitter divorce, according to the Daily Mail. Prosecutors allege that the mother strangled both children inside the residence. [1]

The alleged crime occurred in New England. New England is a region made up of six states in the Northeastern United States, which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Boston is the largest city in the region and serves as the capital of Massachusetts. [1][2]