In a heart-wrenching trial, Lisa Snyder, a Pennsylvania mother accused of hanging her two children with a dog leash in 2019, was disowned by her surviving adult son.
Snyder, 41, is facing first- and third-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of her children, Connor, 8, and Brinley, 4.
The siblings were discovered hanged by the same leash in the basement of their Albany Township home in September 2019 and succumbed to their injuries three days later after being removed from life support.
During the trial, which commenced last week, her surviving son, Owen Snyder, testified against her. “I just don’t see her as my mother anymore,” the 22-year-old said, as Lisa Snyder wept from her seat.
Lisa had previously maintained her innocence, suggesting that Connor’s depression led him to take his own life and that of his sister.
However, Owen refuted this claim, arguing that Connor’s short stature would have made it implausible for him to hang anyone. “He was a happy-go-lucky kid,” Owen remarked. “He always wanted to be doing something. He was always playing with his little sister.”
The trial also examined Lisa’s phone records, revealing searches for “how to hang yourself” and a recent viewing history of the show “Almost Got Away With It” just days before her children were found.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Lisa Snyder, but if that is not granted, she could face a minimum sentence of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. The wooden kitchen chairs used in the alleged hanging were also presented to the judge, as the case does not involve a jury.
Throughout the proceedings, Lisa remained largely emotionless, only breaking into tears when her son spoke out against her. Her defense argued that even if she did hang her children, she was clinically insane and should be placed in a psychiatric facility instead of prison.
Prosecutors indicated that Lisa purchased a dog leash on the same day her children were found hanged. She initially called the police to report her son’s suicide, but authorities quickly grew suspicious, finding no evidence to support her claim.
