New details released after mother accused of killing her children appears in court

During the hearing, the District Attorney’s Office called two witnesses to the stand, both with the Johnson City Police Department.

One was Gary Price, the second officer who arrived at the scene, where he says he found Jessica Chandler naked in a bathtub with a wound on her arm.

“I saw a pack of razor blades for a utility knife. I saw them sitting on the edge of the bathtub, ‘over-the-counter medications like NyQuil and stuff,'” he said.

After Price testified, Detective Michael Fowler took the stand and read the autopsies of 4-year-old Vista Chandler and 1-year-old Eli Chandler, which showed the siblings died of suffocation.

“At one point I asked her if she gave them medicine or anything to get them to sleep and she said ‘no’. I asked her ‘how long did you know to keep the blanket down,’ and she just said ‘I choked them for a while,'” Fowler said.

Fowler said when he entered the home after investigators found three letters following the alleged incident.

In the letters, Chandler describes an incident involving a relative who sexually abused her niece, leading her to worry about the safety of her children.

The District Attorney’s Office asked Fowler to read one of the letters:

“I’m not asking you to know my story. I’m asking you to understand my decision. I’ve seen a lot in this life. I refuse to let my children bear this cruel world alone, that’s why I brought my children into this world, and I take my children out of this world.”

Chandler’s next court date is set for March 31.

News 5 will continue to bring you the latest on this developing story.