Mother Arrested for Killing One Child and Seriously Injuring Her Other Child

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PORTERVILLE, Calif. – A 45-year-old woman was arrested for the murder of one child and the serious injury of a second child.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department said that on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at around 5:25 a.m. deputies were called to the 18900 block of Avenue 184 in Porterville. The caller said that a woman, later identified as Sherri Telnas, was acting strangely and had taken her 7 and 12-year-old son into a field across the street. As deputies were en route, the caller said that they found two children in an irrigation ditch near a cornfield. The two boys were reportedly non-responsive.

Deputies arrived a short time later and provided aid to the boys who were taken to the hospital. The 12-year-old boy died as a result of his injuries, while the 7-year-old remains in critical condition. Telnas was arrested without incident and was booked into jail for murder. The exact cause of death is pending an autopsy.

The family of Telnas told ABC News, Fresno that she has been incarcerated in Montana for criminal endangerment for attempting to drown her 10-month-old son. The son she attempted to drown several years ago was identified by her family as the 12-year-old son that is now deceased.

This case is currently under investigation by the Tulare County Violent Crimes Investigations Unit. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit Det. Miguel Franco or Sergeant Gary Marks at (559) 802-9563 or (800) 808-0488. Anonymous information about this crime can be reported via Tipnow email tcso@tipnow.net, text or voicemail at 559-725-4194, or download the Tipnow app for Android or Apple phones.