Brother Called Police To Report Deaths
SAN FRANCISCO -- After 40 years of carrying a terrible secret, a man called Mendocino County, Calif., authorities to report that his sister killed four of her babies between 1965 and 1970, authorities said.
When sheriff's investigators tracked down Cheryl Athene Miller, 59, in San Francisco, where she was unemployed and living alone, she confessed to the murders and was arrested Monday, according to Sgt. Scott Poma.
Poma wouldn't reveal how or why Miller killed her children, who ranged in age from 11 days to 14 months, only that her brother had known all along and Miller spoke candidly, seemingly ready to unburden herself.
"She kind of wanted to deal with it," Poma said. "She seemed surprised and remorseful."
She was arraigned Wednesday on four counts of murder in Mendocino County Superior Court and was being held in lieu of $2 million bail. If convicted, she could face life in prison without parole.
She did not enter a plea and her next court date was set for Nov. 17. A public defender was not appointed to the case Wednesday, so no lawyer could comment on her behalf.
The killings began in San Diego County in December 1965 with the death of Sherry Scott, who was just 11 days old, and a month later with her sister, Carla Scott, who was 14 months old, Poma said.
Both were deemed natural deaths and wouldn't necessarily have raised eyebrows at the time.
"Escondido was pretty big even back then," he said. "Here, we would've noticed."
Fifteen months later, Miller's 3-month-old son, David, died in Long Beach, Poma said.
By February 1970, Miller had moved north to Mendocino County where her mother lived. Her 9-month-old daughter, Kimberly, died in Calpella.
Investigators were suspicious at the time because Miller told them about the deaths of her other three children, Poma said. She wasn't charged with a crime, but county officials removed two other young children from her home and she never regained custody.
The children, now adults, live in California, but don't have contact with their mother, he said. Their father has been interviewed by investigators. Some of the dead children had a different father, but it wasn't clear whether he had spoken with authorities.
Poma refused to reveal the names of the surviving children, the two fathers or Miller's brother.
Miller's brother got in touch with sheriff's deputies in August 2005 and they reopened the investigation. The case is being handled in Mendocino County because they had the most complete paper trail on Miller.
Miller was solely responsible for the children's deaths and her brother won't face charges, Poma said.
"We would never have this if he didn't come forward," Poma said.
According to court records, Miller served probation in Oregon for passing a bad check in 1986. She also has a record of arrests in California and Oregon for minor offenses, including marijuana possession, harassment and driving with a suspended license.
http://www.wjactv.com/news/10218746/detail.html
SAN FRANCISCO -- After 40 years of carrying a terrible secret, a man called Mendocino County, Calif., authorities to report that his sister killed four of her babies between 1965 and 1970, authorities said.
When sheriff's investigators tracked down Cheryl Athene Miller, 59, in San Francisco, where she was unemployed and living alone, she confessed to the murders and was arrested Monday, according to Sgt. Scott Poma.
Poma wouldn't reveal how or why Miller killed her children, who ranged in age from 11 days to 14 months, only that her brother had known all along and Miller spoke candidly, seemingly ready to unburden herself.
"She kind of wanted to deal with it," Poma said. "She seemed surprised and remorseful."
She was arraigned Wednesday on four counts of murder in Mendocino County Superior Court and was being held in lieu of $2 million bail. If convicted, she could face life in prison without parole.
She did not enter a plea and her next court date was set for Nov. 17. A public defender was not appointed to the case Wednesday, so no lawyer could comment on her behalf.
The killings began in San Diego County in December 1965 with the death of Sherry Scott, who was just 11 days old, and a month later with her sister, Carla Scott, who was 14 months old, Poma said.
Both were deemed natural deaths and wouldn't necessarily have raised eyebrows at the time.
"Escondido was pretty big even back then," he said. "Here, we would've noticed."
Fifteen months later, Miller's 3-month-old son, David, died in Long Beach, Poma said.
By February 1970, Miller had moved north to Mendocino County where her mother lived. Her 9-month-old daughter, Kimberly, died in Calpella.
Investigators were suspicious at the time because Miller told them about the deaths of her other three children, Poma said. She wasn't charged with a crime, but county officials removed two other young children from her home and she never regained custody.
The children, now adults, live in California, but don't have contact with their mother, he said. Their father has been interviewed by investigators. Some of the dead children had a different father, but it wasn't clear whether he had spoken with authorities.
Poma refused to reveal the names of the surviving children, the two fathers or Miller's brother.
Miller's brother got in touch with sheriff's deputies in August 2005 and they reopened the investigation. The case is being handled in Mendocino County because they had the most complete paper trail on Miller.
Miller was solely responsible for the children's deaths and her brother won't face charges, Poma said.
"We would never have this if he didn't come forward," Poma said.
According to court records, Miller served probation in Oregon for passing a bad check in 1986. She also has a record of arrests in California and Oregon for minor offenses, including marijuana possession, harassment and driving with a suspended license.
http://www.wjactv.com/news/10218746/detail.html