READING, Pa.—A Pennsylvania woman was convicted of killing her two young children, who were found hanging in the basement of their home five years ago.
Lisa Snyder, 41, was convicted Tuesday of two counts of first-degree murder in the September 2019 deaths of 4-year-old Brinley and 8-year-old Conner, who were taken off life support and died three days after they were found in the home in Albany Township, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia.
The conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.
Snyder had told police her son was bullied and had threatened to take his life, but authorities said they found no evidence to support her claim. The boy displayed no signs of trouble that day on a school bus security video. An occupational therapist later said the child wasn’t physically capable of causing that kind of harm to himself or his little sister.
Police also cited the defendant’s online searches for information about suicide, death by hanging and how to kill someone as well as episodes of a documentary crime series called “I Almost Got Away With It.” A coroner said both children were killed by hanging and ruled the deaths homicides.
The defense sought an acquittal, saying the case was based on speculation and “guesswork.”
Snyder opted for a judge instead of a jury to hear the case. Berks County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Theresa Johnson took about an hour on Tuesday before issuing a guilty verdict. Snyder also was convicted of child endangerment and evidence tampering.
Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 17.
Snyder had sought to plead no contest but mentally ill to two counts of third-degree murder, but Johnson rejected the plea agreement last year, saying it didn’t “serve the interests of justice.”