Bagley Pleads Guilty To Son's Drowning Deaths, Sentenced To 90 Days:

Jennifer Bagley

A mother charged in Texas County with two counts of involuntary manslaughter has pleaded guilty for her son's drowning deaths last August.

Texas County Prosecutor Mike Anderson brought those charges against Jennifer Bagley last March after a coroner's jury found Jennifer Bagley was negligent in the deaths of Jesse James and Wyatt Earp Bagley.

Jesse James (l.) and Wyatt Earp Bagley

Bagley told investigators she was making a beaded key chain in the kitchen while her children played outside. In testimony presented at the coroner's jury, Bagley told investigators that her 3 year-old daughter, Belle Starr, came into the house soaking wet and told the grown ups (Jennifer Bagley and the children's grandparents) that her brothers were in the Big Piney river that runs directly behind the family's former home.

Anderson says Bagley didn't begin searching for the boys for at least 20 minutes and waited at least an hour before calling 9-1-1.

After the deaths of her brothers, Belle Starr was placed in protective custody and is living with a foster family. The family had been reported to DSS for things ranging from unsanitary living conditions, the children being unsupervised and malnourished.

Jennifer Bagley was sentenced to eight years in prison, however, the sentence was suspended and she was ordered to serve 90 days shock time. She must also serve five years supervised probation, perform 200 hours community service and pay a $300 fine.

Judge Mary Sheffield said to Bagley, "There's not much left to be said. You're suffering the greatest penalty any woman can have."

Jennifer Bagley Charged With Two Counts Of Involuntary Manslaughter In Son's Drowning Deaths:

Jennifer Bagley

Earlier this month a Texas County coroner's jury found Jennifer Bagley was negligent in the drowning deaths of her two sons last summer--today she was charged with invountary manslaughter for their deaths.

Seven year-old Jesse James Bagley and his brother, four-year-old Wyatt Earp Bagley, were found dead in the Big Piney River near Licking that runs behind the family's former rented home.

Jesse James (l.) and Wyatt Earp Bagley

In testimony presented at the coroner's inquest it was revealed that Jennifer Bagley told investigators that she was making a beaded key chain for her boyfriend in the kitchen, which is a seperate building from the main house, while the kids played outside the afternoon her sons went missing.

She also told investigators that she and her father had been arguing about the condition of the house that day. Bagley told cops that her daughter, 3 year-old Belle Starr, came into the house soaking wet and told the grown ups (Jennifer Bagley and the children's grandparents) that her brothers were in the river.

Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson says that there was confusion as to just how long it took Bagley to begin looking for her son's. He says, "The search for the boys didn't start until it at least 20-30 minutes or up to an hour after her daughter told her the boy's were in the river, and it was between 1 and 2 hours before she called 9-1-1 for help."

One of the investigators testified that Jennifer talked "matter-of-factly" when boys were gone. Said she had bad feeling....like the one she had when she found out boyfriend had cheated on her.
Searchers combed the area around the house and the river for over twelve hours before the boys were located by a helicopter about 7 a.m. in the river.

Authorities were familiar with Jennifer Bagley and her children as there had been at least 5 hot line calls made about the children. The calls started in 2005 saying that the children were living in filth and were covered in bug bites, and one was recent as last year Belle Starr was not being fed. A neighbor told cops that the Bagley children came to his house at least two times...his house is at least 3/10th's of a mile from where they lived. That same neighbor told investigators that he heard a "different" kind of scream coming from near the river the day the boys went missing.

After the deaths of her brothers, Belle Starr was placed in protective custody by The Department of Social Services. She is now living with a foster family.

Texas County Sheriff Carl Watson says, "We're waiting on the judge to sign the arrest warrant. I have sent the deputy who was the first one at the scene of the drowning to Salem to pick her up. We should have her in Texas County by the end of the night."

UPDATED: Coroner's Jury Finds Mother Negligent In Bagley Brother's Drowning Deaths:

Jesse James (l) and Wyatt Earp Bagley

A coroners jury in Texas County has ruled that Jennifer Bagley was criminally negligent in her son's drowning deaths last summer.

Seven year-old Jesse James Bagley and his brother, four-year-old Wyatt Earp Bagley, were found dead in the Big Piney River near Licking that runs behind the family's former rented home. The family has since moved to Dent County according to Sheriff Carl Watson.

A coroner's inquest is conducted in a trial like setting where the county coroner calls witnesses and is in charge of conducting the inquest. Jurors can also ask questions of those called to give testimony.

In this case, Texas County Coroner Tom Whittaker sat a jury of three men and three women who are Texas county residents to hear the evidence in the case. Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson assisted Whittaker with the proceeding.



Texas County prosecutor Mike Anderson (courtesy of The Houston Herald)


The jurors came back with their decision one hour after hearing about two and a half hours of testimony.





Anderson says, "I will take the jury's recommendation and wait about a week or 10 days to determine how I will proceed in the case." Anderson can file manslaughter charges or endangering the welfare of a child charges against Bagley.

Last August, Texas County Sheriff Carl Watson said that the two brothers and their little sister, 3 year-old Belle Starr, were unsupervised and playing near the river when the boy's somehow got swept away.

Sheriff Watson, the first responding officer, an investigator with the Highway Patrol and Whittaker were called to give testimony this morning. Jennifer Bagley's testimony was entered through investigative records.



Sheriff Carl Watson

In testimony presented today, Jennifer Bagley told investigators that she was making a beaded key chain for her boyfriend in the kitchen while the kids played outside the afternoon her sons went missing. She also told investigators that she and her father had been arguing about the condition of the house that day. Bagley told cops that little Belle Starr came into the house soaking wet and told the grown ups (Jennifer Bagley and the children's grandparents) that her brothers were in the river.

Authorities were familiar with Jennifer Bagley and her children as there had been at least 5 hotline calls made about the children. The calls started in 2005 saying that the children were living in filth and were covered in bug bites, and one was recent as last year Belle Starr was not being fed.

Photo of inside Bagley home

Anderson says that there was confusion as to just how long it took Bagley to begin looking for her son's. He says, "The search for the boys didn't start until it at least 20-30 minutes or up to an hour after her daughter told her the boy's were in the river, and it was between 1 and 2 hours before she called 9-1-1 for help."

One of the investigators testified that Jennifer talked "matter-of-factly" when boys were gone. Said she had bad feeling....like the one she had when she found out boyfriend had cheated on her.
Searchers combed the area around the house and the river for over twelve hours before the boys were located by a helicopter about 7 a.m. in the river.

After the boys death, Belle Starr was placed in protective custody by The Department of Social Services, she is now living with a foster family.

Sheriff Watson says, "There was no doubt she was criminally negligent....we thought that from the beginning of the investigation." He adds, "Should she be charged we will go and get her no matter where she is."


****Link to Jennifer Bagley's myspace page