Pastor: Drowning suspect backed into sons with van
MCCANDLESS, Pa. (AP) — The pastor of a western Pennsylvania woman jailed on charges she drowned her 3-year-old son in a bathtub and tried to do the same to his brother says he counseled the family after she backed into the same two boys with her van 10 months ago.
Pastor Dan Hendley says the van incident involving 40-year-old Laurel Michelle Schlemmer of McCandless was "entirely an accident."
It was investigated by the Northern Regional Police Department but resulted in no criminal charges. The department's chief did not return calls for comment.
Prosecutors are reviewing police reports on an incident handled by that department as part of its investigation into the drowning but wouldn't comment further.
A police complaint says Schlemmer admitted hearing "crazy voices" telling her to push the boys underwater.
