Kimberlee Singler, a mother from the United States who is accused of fatally shooting two of her children in their residence in Colorado was implored by her remaining third child not to commit the act of killing her.
Kimberlee Singler, aged 36, is currently being sought in Colorado to be held accountable for the claimed act of killing her nine-year-old daughter, Ellianna and seven-year-old son, Aden, in their bedroom in December of the previous year. Additionally, Kimberlee Singler purportedly inflicted a stab wound on her eldest daughter, who managed to survive but required immediate surgical intervention.
During the court proceedings at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that following the assault, Kimberlee Singler escaped to London and was apprehended in Kensington, located in west London, by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency 11 days after that.
Kimberlee Singler is subject to extradition to the US to answer for two charges of first-degree murder, one charge of attempted murder, two charges of class-two criminal child abuse, one charge of class-three felony child abuse, and one charge of assault.
Kimberlee Singler, dressed in a turquoise cardigan over a white top, attentively sat in the dock, diligently jotting down notes throughout the hearing.
Edward Fitzgerald KC, Kimberlee Singler’s defence attorney, stated that she vehemently denies any blame for the deaths of her two younger children as well as the attempted murder of her surviving kid.
Mr Fitzgerald argued that a ‘mandatory imposition’ of a life sentence would create ‘massive problems’.
He said Kimberlee Singler had ‘no previous convictions’ and was a ‘devoted mother’.
Mr Fitzgerald referred to the prosecution case in which Kimberlee Singler ‘slashes her wrists’ and says after the killings: ‘God made me do this’.
He asked: ‘Are we to say that this mandatory imposition of that sentence without any consideration of her circumstances to life without parole would be fine?’
Joel Smith, KC, for the US government, suggested to American defence lawyer David Kaplan that Kimberlee Singler could run an insanity defence and avoid a life sentence without parole.
He asked: ‘If Ms Kimberlee Singler were able to show that she was suffering from a disease or defect of the mind that either prevented her intending to kill or prevented her from exercising reflection or judgement, she would have a defence?’
Mr Kaplan said he had ‘not looked over any reports’ that mentioned a defect or disease of mind.
Mr Fitzgerald argued Kimberlee Singler could not run an insanity defence.
Mr Kaplan told the court that ‘what qualifies for insanity has continued to get narrower both by statutory and practise’.
He said it was ‘doubtful’ that Kimberlee Singler would receive a ‘commutation’, i.e. the substitution of a life sentence for a lesser sentence after an application.
Police responded to a burglary report at an apartment complex in Palomino Ranch Point, Colorado Springs, on December 19.
Elianna and Aden were found dead inside the flat. An autopsy recently revealed they had died from gunshot wounds.
Kimberlee Singler and her 11-year-old daughter were also injured.
The mum had initially cooperated with police but vanished, triggering a US-wide hunt.
NCA officers arrested her for offences, including two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.
She is also accused of two counts of class two felony child abuse, one of class three felony child abuse, and one of assault.
When Kimberlee Singler first appeared in court on January 1, she did not consent to extradition to the US.
Kimberlee Singler was involved in a legal battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Wentz, over parenting time and other issues after divorcing in 2020.
Mr Wentz had shared a picture of himself with his three children in a Facebook group dedicated to the case.
He wrote: ‘Hello group. I’m the father. I also want to say she has been arrested.’
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