O’Fallon mother charged with trying to kill her three kids inside her car
An O’Fallon mother has been charged with making plans to kill her three children with carbon dioxide, authorities said.
Emily C. Sparks , 29, of O’Fallon, is being held in the St. Clair County Jail. She is charged with three counts of attempted murder, according to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s office.
The children — two boys and a girl ages 3, 5 and 7 — are safe and in the care of family, said O’Fallon police Lt. Nicholas Schmidt.
On Feb. 6, police received a tip that Sparks had attempted to murder her children “at a business outside of our area” more than two months earlier, Schmidt said.
Investigators learned that Sparks purchased a canister of carbon dioxide from an O’Fallon-area store.
“She was going to open the canister of carbon dioxide inside the closed passenger compartment of the vehicle with her three children inside,” said Schmidt, the lead investigator in the case.
Schmidt said Sparks had planned to kill herself with the children, but changed her mind about the whole plan at the last minute. She has cooperated with the investigation, Schmidt said.
Sparks is married and showed no signs of domestic abuse, said Schmidt. Other details are being withheld as the investigation continues, he said.
The Department of Children and Family Services also was involved in the investigation. DCFS spokesman Jason Strokosch said the department has had no prior contact with Sparks or her family.
According to court records, Sparks is being represented by Edwardsville Attorney Jessica Koester, who did not respond to requests for comment.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 2:39 PM.
