Dawn Marie Wines Admits to Smothering Her Two Children

Mother Admits to Smothering Her Two Children

Mother Gets Custody of Daughter After Son's Death; Daughter Dies 11 Days Later

By BRENNAN McCORD
March 19, 2010



Arkansas child abuse investigators had only 60 days to prove that Dawn Marie Wines suffocated her toddler son last August, but were unable to get the toxicology test back before time ran out. Consequently, they say were forced to return Wines' infant daughter to the woman.

Eleven days later, the 6-month-old girl was also dead.

Toxicology reports have since determined that both children were suffocated.

Wines, 22, confessed to killing both children according to an affidavit released Thursday when she was arraigned in Columbia County. Despite her confession, an automatic not guilty plea was entered on her behalf because Wines faces the possibility of the death penalty.

Detective Leroy Martin of the Columbia Sheriff's Office told ABC News that Arkansas Human Services allowed the authorities 60 days to prove that death of Wines' 18-month-old son Louis was a homicide.

In the meantime, authorities placed Wines' infant daughter Annabelle in foster care.

"The toxicology report wasn't released within those 60 days, so Annabelle was returned to her mother due to lack of evidence," Martin said.

Dr. Charles Kokes, the state's Medical Examiner, told ABC News that while there was a suspicious element about Louis's death, at the time there was "no definitive indication from his autopsy report that there had been foul play. There were other benign possibilities as well."

When Louis sister died, her death "changed the circumstances entirely," says Kokes. "Louis' cause of death rests on the fact that his sister's death was a homicide."

The toxicology reports for both of the children were finished at the same time last fall, indicating that someone had "actively harmed" Annabelle. Kokes said that anti-depressants were found in Annabelle's system, evidence that the infant was being harmed.

Joshua Wines, Dawn's estranged husband told ABC's KATV that Wines was prescribed anti-depressants for post-partum depression.

"She got put on it for post-partum depression. Then when she got pregnant with Annabelle doctors took her off the antodepressants. She seemed fine. She didn't show any signs of depression at all," he said.

Husband of Accused Child Killer Has No Sympathy



Joshua Wines supports the prosecutors' efforts in seeking the for death penalty for Wines. "I have no sympathy whatsoever. You know, you take the life of a child…there should be no other sentence but death," he said.

A mental evaluation has been ordered for Wines and a public defender will be appointed to represent her.

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/mother-admits-smothering-children/story?id=10148847&page=2

It makes me sick that Annabelle was given back to her mother when there were suspicions about Louis's death. They need to change that 60 day rule when the safety of a child is at stake. Arkansas Human Services failed Annabelle miserably.

CPS...fail-safe? Fails again. Where is the protection - the focus should be on the child. Why did the autopsy results take so long. This is so tragic............

What a tragic story about these babies. I agree with the father, no sympathy.

Justice4all wrote:It makes me sick that Annabelle was given back to her mother when there were suspicions about Louis's death. They need to change that 60 day rule when the safety of a child is at stake. Arkansas Human Services failed Annabelle miserably.

I couldn't agree more. However, it also disgusts me that the father was no "Dad." As a dad myself, once we have children, we become a parent before a spouse. Blame can be placed outside the house in many areas. The judge, DHS, the Crime Lab, The Law...The system failed. But the father (not a Dad) ultimately failed. He didn't smother those babies, but after the first child's death, he had a paternal obligation (one that didn't expire after 60 days) to protect that little girl.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/03/destrehan_woman_accused_of_kil_1.html
Dawn Wines, who authorities in Arkansas say killed her two young children within a two-month span last year, suffered from postpartum depression and seemed disconnected from the children, her estranged husband said Wednesday.
He said the deaths might be related to his wife's mental health. She was diagnosed with postpartum depression after she had Louis and was prescribed antidepressants, Josh Wines said.
"She would just be moody ... happy-go-lucky one minute and the next minute ... just crazy the way her moods were," he said.
"She wasn't connected with the kids like most mothers are," Josh Wines said. http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/03/destrehan_woman_accused_of_kil_1.html

A father before a spouse. All the suspicions were there. And suspicions supercede the disbelief of a spouse committing such an act. Why leave the second child alone with her???

I also see a bit of contradictions in his stories though so many interviews:
As ststed in the post here of "She got put on it for post-partum depression. Then when she got pregnant with Annabelle doctors took her off the antodepressants. She seemed fine. She didn't show any signs of depression at all," he said."

Welcome Mag. I agree that the father should have stepped in and did anything he could to get his daughter away from Dawn after all the suspicion surrounding his son's death. He knew she wasn't mentally stable. Too many people stood on the sidelines and did nothing to protect Annabelle.

Justice4all wrote:Welcome Mag. I agree that the father should have stepped in and did anything he could to get his daughter away from Dawn after all the suspicion surrounding his son's death. He knew she wasn't mentally stable. Too many people stood on the sidelines and did nothing to protect Annabelle.

Very much so. The few that tried to save her were shut down by the "system" but moreso the father.

Too many fathers choose not to be a dad. It makes me sick. It is also disgusting that everyone trying to save her was shut down by the system's red tape.

Were they already estranged when both Louis and Annabelle died?

Piper wrote:Were they already estranged when both Louis and Annabelle died?

No...they were together until Annabelle's funeral more than a week after her death. The father began threatening the uncle for going to the news trying to get answers on the then unexplained deaths.
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1009/668693.html

Thank you for the link, Mag. I was just going to ask if there were other family members that were alarmed or concerned. The judge released Annabelle back to the parents, not just the mother.

Welcome Mag. Thank you for the links you provided. This is a really sad story.