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Candice McElwee, a woman from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison on Monday (December 22) for attempting to drown her two young daughters during a mental health crisis in 2022. McElwee, who was suffering from schizophrenia and self-medicating with methamphetamine, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and child endangerment. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the attempted murder charges.
The incident occurred in the early hours of September 6, 2022, at the Stony Creek watershed in Middle Paxton Township. McElwee tried to drown her three- and seven-year-old daughters, believing it was the Biblical end of the world. The seven-year-old managed to fight her mother off, while the three-year-old lost consciousness but later recovered. Meanwhile, McElwee's two older children, aged 10 and 12, were reportedly digging graves on the creek's shore.
After her arrest, McElwee was held in Dauphin County Prison for 39 months, which will be credited towards her sentence. She has since been on doctor-prescribed medication. As part of her sentencing, Judge Edward Marsico prohibited McElwee from having any contact with her children. McElwee expressed remorse for her actions, stating, "I apologize for my actions."
Public defender Jacqulyn Gagliardi noted that McElwee had sought help at a hospital the night before the incident but left due to confusion about her admission. The case highlights the challenges of mental health crises and the importance of timely intervention.