Brandi Worley, the mother who killed her two children after her husband asked for a divorce

On November 17, 2016, at about 4:30 a.m., Brandi Worley, 31, called 911 after murdering her two children and stabbing herself in the neck. She told the 911 operator, “I have stabbed myself and killed my two kids.” When the police arrived at the Darlington, Indiana home, they found the bodies of 3-year-old Charlee and 7-year-old Tyler in the daughter’s bedroom.

A day before the murders, on November 16, Brandi’s husband, Jason Worley, had filed for divorce due to her infidelity.

Under the Reddit username jasoninhell, Jason Worley vented about his marital struggles on a relationship advice subreddit. In the subreddit he posted on October 28, 2016, he mentioned that he had been struggling with his marriage for over a year since he found out that his wife had cheated on him with their neighbor.

During the call with the 911 operator, Brandi Worley disclosed her motive, claiming that she killed her children because she was afraid her husband would take them away from her.

On March 19, 2018, Brandi Worley was charged with two counts of murder and sentenced to 120 years in prison: 55 years for the murder of Tyler and 65 for the murder of Charlee.  

In her trial, prosecutors said that Brandi lured her son into her daughter’s bedroom, claiming they were having a sleepover. Once inside the bedroom, she straddled Tyler and killed him first. While she was in the midst of stabbing her son, Charlee woke up and asked her mother what she was doing. Brandi replied, “nothing.” When Charlee fell asleep again, the mother began to stab her until she died.

Brandi Worley’s mother was staying in the house at the time of the murder, and it was her screams that alerted Jason that something was wrong. Jason Worley ran from the basement where he was sleeping to his daughter’s bedroom and found his dead children with his wife. Brandi looked straight at Jason and said, “Now you can’t take my children away from me.”

Brandi’s lawyer said that the 31-year-old mother was never able to explain why she carried out the murders of her children.

During Brandi’s sentencing, Jason Worley was present and took the stand to talk about his children. When asked about his ex-wife, Jason said he never wanted to see Brandi free again.

“All I care is to never see her again. Out of sight and out of mind,” said Jason Worley.