A North Carolina woman who stands accused of killing one of her young children and trying to kill her other child is facing murder charges, according to authorities.
Andrea Morgan Faust, 41, of Durham, was arrested on Friday, February 13, on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, court records viewed by Us Weekly show.
According to Faust’s arrest warrant, she “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did of malice aforethought kill and murder” her one child and “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did with malice aforethought attempt to kill and murder” her other child.
Her release from custody was denied on Tuesday, February 17, according to a court order.
The order states that Faust’s husband “spoke in court and requested she work on her mental health” and “alleges she was a tremendous mother.”
Faust’s court-appointed public defender, Nicole Galinsky, said in a statement to Us on Wednesday, February 18, that “Overwhelmed mothers rarely receive the help and support that they need and often feel as though they are a burden if they ask for help.”
Galinsky added that friends, family, neighbors and her child’s teachers “have all shown up for Andrea in the aftermath of what happened and have all portrayed her as the world’s best mom, wife, daughter, and friend.”
The evening of Thursday, February 12, at about 5:25 p.m., Durham police discovered Faust’s two “unresponsive small children” in the neighborhood of Grove Park, according to a police news release, the News & Observer reported.
One of her children, believed to be 3 or 4, “went into cardiac arrest” while the other child, believed to be 2, was found “with a slight pulse,” according to the newspaper, which cited police radio traffic stemming from the incident.
“We have a suspect that ran from us,” an officer said over the radio, referring to Faust, the News & Observer reported. “I didn’t know if she was involved. She ran behind the house when I pulled up, so, probably going towards the lake.”
It is unclear how Faust allegedly harmed her two children or why, as police have not shared a potential motive.
The children were taken to the hospital, where one died, WRAL reported.
Faust made her initial appearance in court on February 17, from a hospital bed, according to WNCN.
The hearing was initially scheduled for Monday, February 16, when prosecutors said Faust made a suicide attempt, the outlet reported. Prosecutors sought for Faust to be put on suicide watch as a result.
Faust’s husband, Eric, told the court that their child who survived the alleged murder attempt is expected to fully recover, WNCN reported.
Eric also addressed Faust in court and said that she had been experiencing a mental health crisis on February 13, when she was accused of harming her children.
“Andrea, I’m begging you, please no more attempts to harm yourself,” Eric said, according to WNCN. “Work with your doctors. Work with anything you can. And I promise you, if you do that, I will let you know how [their child] is doing as often as I can.”
“I just want to let the court know this was a complete mental health crisis,” Eric also said, the news outlet reported. “Anyone will tell you what a tremendous mother Andrea was. These were not the actions of my wife.
Galinsky motioned for Faust to be transferred to the Safekeeping Unit at North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh, court records show.
The motion was granted on Wednesday.
Galinsky told Us that “We need to stop telling stressed out, struggling, isolated mothers that they are ‘doing great.’”
“We need to recognize when they are deteriorating before our eyes,” Galinsky added. “We need to do better. As a country and as a people.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
