Sentenced: Mom Regretted That Wheelchair-Bound Son Survived After She Put Lorazepam 'Slurry' In His Feeding Bag

[Sugar Cookie]

A 65-year-old mother in Minnesota admitted that she attempted to kill her wheelchair-bound son by dumping crushed-up anti-anxiety pills into a feeding bag at his group home.

Julie Myhre-Schnell pleaded guilty last week to one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the December 2023 incident. Myhre-Schnell reached a deal with prosecutors in which she agreed to plead guilty in exchange for dismissal of the aggravating factor that the victim was "particularly vulnerable."

As Law&Crime previously reported, the attempted murder took place on Dec. 3, 2023, according to a probable cause affidavit. The victim, whose name was not released by authorities, is wheelchair-bound with spina bifida and needs a ventilator as well as round-the-clock care.

He was receiving that care at Regency Home Care in Vadnais Heights, within Ramsey County, when Myhre-Schnell tried to kill him with a Lorazepam overdose. She was "hoping he would go to sleep forever," authorities said, quoting from one of several text messages in which she confessed to the crime.

Documents said that the victim told investigators that "he liked his residence and had everything he needed" and "talked about his friends and what he enjoys doing in his spare time, including volunteering weekly at the zoo."

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office said that Myhre-Schnell not only "admitted to multiple people," including the victim, that she crushed up her Lorezepam pills and tried to kill her son, but also admitted even more to investigators when questioned in June.

Authorities said Myhre-Schnell recalled thinking "I'm going to go to jail," worried about a toxicology report implicating her after the victim survived respiratory failure, and said she "completely regretted he survived."

"I was worried about them finding out through the toxicology, and I was probably trying to figure out what I'm going to do. I'm just going to go to jail," Myhre-Schnell told authorities.

By July, authorities said, evidence also showed that two days prior to the attempted murder, the defendant refilled her Lorazepam prescription. But what investigators say happened in early August, just weeks before Myhre-Schnell's arrest, is even more shocking.

"On August 6, 2024, Defendant texted Victim, confessing to him that she put her medicine in his feeding bag hoping he would 'go to sleep forever,'" the complaint said. "Investigator Hughes received copies of these messages. Victim texted Defendant that he was 'on the fence' about deleting her number. In response to Investigator Hughes question about how Victim was feeling after learning about what happened, he responded, 'I made it, I'm still here.' In describing his reaction to Defendant's confession, Victim stated 'it was heavy' and 'it's a lot to process.'"

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Mom tried to kill wheelchair-bound son with lethal 'slurry' in feeding bag

Julie Myhre-Schnell pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder after admitting to trying to give her wheelchair-bound son a lethal dose of anti-anxiety medication.

lawandcrime.com

Myhre-Schnell was going through a divorce.

 

[DamagedGoods]

Defendant texted Victim, confessing to him that she put her medicine in his feeding bag hoping he would 'go to sleep forever,'" the complaint said. "Investigator Hughes received copies of these messages. Victim texted Defendant that he was 'on the fence' about deleting her number. In response to Investigator Hughes question about how Victim was feeling after learning about what happened, he responded, 'I made it, I'm still here.' In describing his reaction to Defendant's confession, Victim stated 'it was heavy' and 'it's a lot to process.'"

Why on earth would you text that to him?

Why would you do this? I could see if he was suffering to the point of not wanting to live anymore, but that is clearly NOT the case.

And why try to do it stealthily, only to go around telling multiple people what you did? Dementia?

 

[Rebooto]

Why on earth would you text that to him?

Why would you do this? I could see if he was suffering to the point of not wanting to live anymore, but that is clearly NOT the case.

And why try to do it stealthily, only to go around telling multiple people what you did? Dementia?

I think it's self pity. I remember my mother said multiple times to me that she didn't want me to exist and that's awful bc you adapt to this thinking and try to kill yourself. Before you go to rehab and understand what's going on. But karma took care of that hitting her with mortal brain cancer at only 42 years . I am 58 now. With cPTSD but more alive than she ever was. So I mad it too just like the boy . Yay.

 

[cubby]

I'm guessing, with the kinda mild reaction to what she did, that he knew she wanted him dead and been wanting that for a long, long time. Even if someone doesn't just out and out say it, you understand that's what they've really wanted for their entire life.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Prosecutors wanted to keep a 65-year-old Minnesota mother behind bars for nearly two decades for trying to kill her adult special needs son, but a judge rebuffed that request and sent her to prison for a far shorter sentence.

Julie Myhre-Schnell was sentenced to prison for three years after admitting that she attempted to kill her wheelchair-bound son by dumping crushed-up anti-anxiety pills into a feeding bag at his group home. Myhre-Schnell pleaded guilty in July to one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the December 2023 incident. Myhre-Schnell reached a deal with prosecutors in which she agreed to plead guilty in exchange for dismissal of the aggravating factor that the victim was "particularly vulnerable."

Prosecutors wanted Myhre-Schnell to go to prison for 18 years, which was the maximum sentence allowed under the guidelines, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. But the judge went far below the maximum, a decision prosecutor Ron Hocevar strongly opposed. The state pointed out that the defendant "systematically tried to kill her disabled son — her own child."

"Prior to her plea, defendant showed little to no remorse. Defendant told law enforcement she regretted her son survived her attempts. A 36-month sentence for attempted murder is why people feel the justice system is flawed," Hocevar said.

The judge didn't explain the shorter sentence, though Myhre-Schnell's son asked for leniency.

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Mom who tried to kill wheelchair-bound son and 'regretted' he survived headed to prison

Prosecutors wanted to keep a 65-year-old Minnesota mother behind bars for nearly two decades but a judge rebuffed that request and sent her to prison for a far shorter sentence.

lawandcrime.com

 

[the cat did it]

That is CRIMINAL that sentence! WTF?!?? The child of hers is completely cognitive and likes where they are and even volunteers at the zoo! So it's certainly not a "mercy" (attempt) killing-it was just plain EVIL! Lives in a group home so she she does not even need to physically care for her child-just EVIL! Even said she regretted her kid LIVED! EVIL! She should of died in prison! That judge is CRIMINAL and EVIL too IMO if they think a 3 year sentence was appropriate?!?!? UGH

 

[BuffettGirl]

Rage... just rage.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

The son is a really good soul...wishing him the best and that he is never alone with his mother again.

 

[Aedia]

THREE YEARS for trying to murder her son?! Absolute insanity. The audacity is just astounding. How anyone could think that was appropriate is beyond me.

Why the hell did she even do it? Part of me thought maybe he was suffering and basically living a life of constant pain, stuck in misery and unable to do anything when I read the title. I could see a parent being unable to watch that, controversial, still I could at least understand. But no, he was even volunteering at the zoo! He seems to have a more fulfilled life than a lot of people I know with nothing physically wrong with them.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

THREE YEARS for trying to murder her son?! Absolute insanity. The audacity is just astounding. How anyone could think that was appropriate is beyond me.

Why the hell did she even do it? Part of me thought maybe he was suffering and basically living a life of constant pain, stuck in misery and unable to do anything when I read the title. I could see a parent being unable to watch that, controversial, still I could at least understand. But no, he was even volunteering at the zoo! He seems to have a more fulfilled life than a lot of people I know with nothing physically wrong with them.

The son asked for leniency and it seems like the judge granted it.

I just hope that a lot of provisions were put in place to protect this man from his mother.

 

[runninfawn]

The son asked for leniency and it seems like the judge granted it.

I just hope that a lot of provisions were put in place to protect this man from his mother.

she was going through a divorce so seems to me that she blames all her woes on the son she doesn't even have the care of and wanted him out of her life for good...maybe she might even have to pay some for his care now and didn't want that neither...

 

[Sugar Cookie]

she was going through a divorce so seems to me that she blames all her woes on the son she doesn't even have the care of and wanted him out of her life for good...maybe she might even have to pay some for his care now and didn't want that neither...

Or maybe she just wanted to hurt the man who is divorcing her.