An Oregon mother is facing multiple counts of attempted murder after authorities say she tried to kill herself and her three young children using carbon monoxide in a vehicle parked inside her garage, according to police and court documents.
2-year-old Chardonnay Marie Benavidez of Keizer, OR, allegedly called 911 on the evening of June 6 and reported that her children were “passing in and out of consciousness” after she allegedly tried to kill them and herself with carbon monoxide.
Officers responding to the home discovered Benavidez and her three children inside the residence. According to police, emergency crews also found a vehicle in the attached garage with what authorities described as a makeshift device that directs exhaust gas into the vehicle’s interior. Firefighters were required to ventilate the garage before officers could safely enter due to the concentration of carbon monoxide.
All four were transported to a hospital and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities said the three children were later medically cleared and released to their father.
During Benavidez’s first court appearance, prosecutors argued that the act was premeditated. According to statements in court, “the defendant told law enforcement that she had been planning this and researching it for about a week.” Prosecutors further claimed that she had considered “several options” before settling on a method that would make everyone “fall asleep together.”
Court filings also revealed additional details about the alleged incident. Investigators believe Benavidez told his children they had a “sleeper” in the vehicle before carrying out the plan.
Benavidez has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Additional reports indicate that she is also facing charges of first degree attempt. A judge denied bail during her first appearance, citing the seriousness of the charges.
Police said Benavidez was initially placed with a doctor and evaluated by psychiatric staff before being transferred to the Marion County Correctional Facility. She has no bail and her next court date is June 17.
