Police Arrest Mother in Connection to Murder of Two-Year-Old Daughter
After a two day search, police arrested Jessica Smith late Sunday on suspicion of aggravated murder in the death of her two-year-old daughter Isabella. The toddler was found in their Cannon Beach, Ore. hotel room Friday with her severely injured 13-year-old sister Alana.
Smith was discovered in her car off a Oregon highway by a Coast Guard helicopter. Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis told the Oregonian that Smith appeared "to welcome the Coast Guard helicopter. She didn't seem to mind them finding her; she didn't resist in any way."
According to court documents obtained by KATU, Jessica Smith and her husband, Greg Smith (who had previously filed for divorce in June), had a history of accusing each other of threatening their children's well-being. From KATU:
Greg Smith said in a declaration filed in Clark County Superior Court that Jessica Smith had sent him a barrage of texts in early July, and that 13-year-old daughter Alana had left him a "troublesome" voicemail he believed was instigated by Jessica.
"The language Alana used is not typical of someone her age and it sounds as though she is reading from something Jessica scripted," the declaration reads.
Smith said Alana texted "I can't sleep very well because I'm tormented by the thought of you in our lives," and "it's terrifying and cruel of you not to respect us."
In an order of protection filed by Jessica Smith in July, she wrote that she and her children "feel terrified for our lives because of his (Greg's) mental state" and that her husband was "unable to accept his behavior is mentally and emotionally abusive, as well as life-threatening, traumatizing, and unsafe to be around any longer." A judge denied her request.
Jessica Smith was under a court order to return her children to their father the same Friday Isabella was found dead.