Ore. Mom Accused in River Drowning of 4-Year-Old

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- An Oregon mother was arrested Saturday in the drowning of her 4-year-old son after the boy and his 7-year-old sister ended up in the chilly Williamette River.

Residents heard screams on the Sellwood Bridge near Portland and called authorities. Some jumped into boats to help search in the early morning darkness. After about an hour, a couple found the children downstream.

The boy, Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith, could not be revived; the girl was in a hospital and expected to survive.

''She's doing well,'' said Detective Sgt. Rich Austria of the Portland Police Bureau. ''She has the will to live.''

Austria said it was not immediately clear whether the children were pushed or fell into the river. They have not yet questioned the girl.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/05/24/us/AP-US-Oregon-Dead-Child.html?_r=1

"The horror. The horror." - Conrad

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/two_children_found_in_willamet.html

Officers Tom Pennington (left) and Mitchell Orellana of the Portland Police Bureau's Central Precinct search the banks of the Willamette River south of the Sellwood Bridge on Saturday morning. Two children were heard screaming in the river near the bridge around 1:30 am. A boater rescued them; one died, the other is in the hospital.

Amanda Stott-Smith

A 31-year-old woman faces charges of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder after her two young children were found in the Willamette River shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday. One of the children, a 4-year-old boy, died.

Amanda Jo Stott-Smith's 7-year-old daughter survived. The girl is conscious and in serious condition at an area hospital, Portland police said at a news conference this evening.

<snip>

Police said tonight that they think the children either fell from or were pushed from the Sellwood Bridge into the river below.

Stott-Smith was found this morning shortly after 10 a.m. on the ninth floor of a parking garage at Fifth Avenue and Yamhill Street, police said. When officers approached her, she attempted to jump off the parking garage, and they stopped her, police said.

more @ link

Kinda hopin they do...

It is a horrific story.

I drive over that bridge every work day. It is very tall.

She should have thrown herself over instead.

But we never use it. Last time was in 1997.

It only applies in aggravated murder cases.

But I still don't think that will be the endgame.

Proving aggravated murder beyond reasonable doubt is a very high standard. There likely are some mitigating circumstances which will reduce the charges against her.

If she did what is alleged, it's horrific but won't likely result in her conviction of aggravated murder.