KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City woman accused of killing one child and attempting to kill another has pleaded guilty, according to the Platte County prosecutor's office.
Aushena Warren, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault on Friday.
Warren admitted to drowning her 8-year-old son in a bathtub and attempting to smother her 6-year-old son.
The Platte County prosecutor plans to seek a life sentence for Warren.
According to the prosecutor's office, at her plea hearing, Warren admitted to committing the crimes on June 17, 2017. She tried to strangle her son in bed and then drowned the other in a bathtub while her husband was at work.
Documents state the 6-year-old FaceTimed his father. When he rushed home, he found the other son in the bathtub unresponsive but Warren was not there.
Warren was spotted at 9:42 a.m. that day when witnesses saw her jump from the Kit Bond Bridge. The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department happened to be in the area conducting water rescue training and retrieved Warren and took her to the hospital.
According to the prosecutor's office, she left a note at the crime scene that read, "Tell the world I’m sorry. I had to save us from this financial crisis. There was no way to fund our lives and I blame myself for that. I had to save the babies from wondering why their parents had to give them up to family or the system. I’m so sorry. Mom, I’m sorry... [Name redacted], I’m sorry. I love you guys... You’ll never understand this and nothing makes this acceptable...but I had to save the babies. [Husband's name redacted]... I’m sorry, I blame myself and lack of everything for us landing here."
A search warrant also uncovered search results on Warren's phone for things like, "how long does it take to drown," "how long does it take to suffocate someone," "mother murders children," "can pillows smother," "which kills you faster suffocating or drowning," and "family of mother who drowned children."
The documents also show she searched things about Missouri women in prison and becoming a murderer.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 2.
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