Julie Powers Schenecker Weeps in Court, Bail Denied in Murders of Daughter Calyx and Son Beau

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

Julie Powers Schenecker Held Without Bail

Julie Powers Schenecker in Court (WTSP)

(CBS/AP/WTSP) Julie Powers Schenecker, the Florida mother who police say killed her teenage daughter Calyx and son Beau "for talking back" to many times, did not speak at a bail hearing Monday - but was clearly weeping and clutching a tissue at her first appearance in Hillsborough County Court in Tampa.

PICTURES: Julie Powers Schenecker Kids

"At this point miss, you're obviously going to be held without bond," Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich told her, according to CBS affiliate WTSP.

For two days, Schenecker had been hospitalized in intensive care for a pre-existing medical condition. Jail officials say it was that medical condition that apparently left her visibly shaking and contorted as they escorted her from the Tampa Police department on Friday.

According to an arrest affidavit, Schenecker shot her 13-year-old son Beau in the head twice "for talking back" while they were in the family car on their way to his soccer practice. The report said Schenecker then returned to their upscale home and shot Calyx in the face while the girl studied at her computer.

"She did tell us that they talked back, that they were mouthy," says Laura McElroy, with the Tampa Police Department, told CBS affiliate WTSP. "But I don't think that will ever serve as an explanation to the rest of us of how you could take a child's life."

Police say they found Schenecker drenched in blood on her back porch.

Investigators believe the teens "never saw it coming," said police spokeswoman Laura McElroy. Both were killed with a .38-caliber pistol. The arrest affidavit said the weapon was purchased five days earlier.

Schenecker's husband, Parker Schenecker, is a career Army officer attached to U.S. Central Command in Tampa. He was working in the Middle East when the shootings happened.

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF JULIE POWERS SCHENECKER ON CRIMESIDER

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Fla. Mom Kills Kids for "Talking Back," Say Police

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by tij12345 March 3, 2011 7:39 PM EST: How should a mother react if the interaction went like the following?

MOTHER: Let's get ready for soccer.
SON: Shut the F--- up, B-----!
MOTHER: You don't talk to me like that.
SON: SHUT THE F--- UP!

MOTHER: Make sure you clear the table after dinner.
DAUGHTER: Shut the F---- up, B----!
MOTHER: You don't talk to me like that.
DAUGHTER: I am a star at school. My brother is a star at school so we can do whatever we want. You are a useless stay-at-home mom. Shut the F- up.; Reply to this comment


by jasperlily February 2, 2011 7:53 PM EST: And if she couldn't have laid hands on a gun, in her state of mind do you really, actually believe she wouldn't have picked up a knife? Or a hammer? Or..... ?; Reply to this comment


by LemmiTellia February 2, 2011 1:51 PM EST: My late mother was a paranoid schizophrenic (finally diagnosed when I was 19) who often suddenly screamed in rage at me over truly minor "offenses" that I committed in the past, going back to toddlerhood. (Offenses such as not making my bed correctly at age four.)

I'm guessing these kids tried their hardest to stay out of her way. That was my strategy growing up.; Reply to this comment

by MalloryDavis February 2, 2011 5:26 AM EST

I would like to say...this mother (I have a very low opinion of them)was verbally abusive to her kids-and more than likely smacked them around. She is a narcissist and a B*#%H AND a control freak. MANY parents DO NOT understand their roll as parents and thus have frustrated children.

I hope this hotheaded idiotic mother suffers to the end of her days.

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by dkb218 February 2, 2011 12:56 PM EST: You have a very low opinion of all mothers? So how long have you known this mother? How would you know what a parents role is? Are you a parent? Seems your parents should have killed you at birth.


by djseavy February 1, 2011 9:24 PM EST: Who knows if her perception of talking back was even accurate? Saying good morning could get some kids killed if their parent is crazy enough. I certainly have no sympathy for this mother; she destroyed many lives, not just those of the children. As for the remark about maybe her husband shouldn't be off in the mid-east fighting, that's assininity to the max. My bet is that even if he was home, this would have happened. This woman is out of her mind, but let's all hope she doesn't pull off the insanity defense. She knew full well what she was doing.; Reply to this comment

by rodwally February 1, 2011 9:02 PM EST

Thank Gawd we live in a country where a mother can lay her hands on a .38 Special fast when she needs to discipline her kids. Where would we be without that kind of freedom?

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by HikerDan February 2, 2011 2:32 AM EST: Ahh, everything would be sweet and idyllic without the gun.


by dodinyc February 2, 2011 10:28 AM EST: You are statistically more likely to be murdered by a firearm in the US than even Maexico. And you have pundits here calling Mexico a failed state. Than what are we in terms of murder with guns? This whole argument that people need guns to protect themselves is ludicrous. Waiting for the day when that actually happens. Even in Tuscon there were looker by who were armed but were afraid to draw their guns out of fear others would think they were the shooter. Throws that whole argument right out with the wash.


by Wildwood1966 February 1, 2011 4:26 PM EST: very vary sad that a mom could do this to her child - perhaps she was "stressed out" or whatever - if I had thoughts in my head to kill my children and brought a gun??? I would be checking myself into the closest hospital or reach out to my parents; Reply to this comment


by widow57 February 1, 2011 3:13 PM EST: It's not against the law to own a gun. It's not against the law to be crazy. I don't believe this woman was crazy. I think it was well planned. Look at the husband over fighting in the war. Maybe she just flipped out. She should have asked for help as soon as she got the idea into her head to shoot her kids. Either that or just shoot herself and spare her kids. The human mind is very very hard to understand. I don't know if we will ever know really what went on in her mind. Just what her lawyers want you to think.; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti February 1, 2011 2:29 PM EST: And we should expand gun ownership rights why? It sure seems like there a lot of very sick individuals who can easily get these people killing items. Pretty soon, it might seem to be more that "just a few crazy individuals". Like we have a major institutional problem with the NRA and their gun manufacturing corporation sponsors.; Reply to this comment


by idiotforreading February 1, 2011 12:40 PM EST: So she killed the son and daughter and was arrested the next day. She was supposedly going to kill herself too? When? Seems like she chickened out on that part.; Reply to this comment