Brandi Worley: “I’ve Just Stabbed Myself & Killed My Two Children”

“I just stabbed myself and killed my two children,” calmly stated 30-year-old Brandi Worley to a 911 operator in Darlington, Indiana, on the 17^th of November, 2016. When police rushed to scene, they found the lifeless bodies of 7-year-old Tyler and 3-year-old Charlee. They had both been stabbed to death in Charlee’s bedroom; a bloody knife lay nearby and their bodies had been covered in blankets.¹ Brandi was sitting in the living room with a stab wound to her neck.

Tyler had been born on the 17^th of September, 2009. He was a first-grade student at Sugar Creek Elementary School. He loved playing sports, in particular, soccer, football, basketball and baseball. He had dreams of one day working on computers. Charlee was born on the 26^th of September, 2013. She was enrolled in pre-school.² Charlee loved attending story time at the local library and took dance classes. She was also enrolled in basketball camp and VBS.³

As the horrors were unfolding upstairs, Brandi’s husband and the father of the two children, Jason Worley, was asleep in the basement. Before police arrived at the scene, Brandi’s mother arrived after she received a phone call from Brandi informing her of what she had done. It would be her screams which awoke Jason in the basement. When he rushed up the stairs, Brandi reportedly said to him: “Now you can’t take the kids from me!”⁴

While Tyler and Charlie were both pronounced dead at the scene, Brandi was rushed to a local hospital where she would make a full recovery. Tyler and Charlie had both died from stab wounds to their necks and a combat knife was discovered near their bodies. Brandi had told paramedics that she wanted to die with her children, adding that she didn’t want Jason “to take my kids.”⁵

As it would be discovered, the day before the murders had taken place, Jason had filed for divorce. The couple had spoken about separating in the past but decided to continue trying for the sake of their two children. However, when Brandi had an affair, Jason decided it was the final nail in the coffin. After filing for divorce, the family went to a dance program for Charlee before returning home for dinner. That evening, Brandi said she needed to buy pipe cleaners. However, she actually went out to purchase the knife that she would murder their two children with.

As news of the shocking murders swept throughout the area, Montgomery County Sheriff Mark Casteel held a press conference and stated: “I can’t imagine the pain or the grief that these families are feeling. Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers.” Brandi would be charged with two felony counts of murder and following her release from hospital, she would be transported to the Montgomery County Jail.

A couple of days after the murders, the funeral for Tyler and Charlee was held at the Darlington Community Center. Following the funeral, Tyler and Charlee were interred at Green-lawn Cemetery in Darlington. Jason had set up a GoFundMe page to help him pay for the funeral and for other expenses and it would quickly swell to over $50,000.⁶

Towards the end of November, Brandi would plead not guilty to the two murder charges. It would soon become apparent that Brandi’s defence team would be putting forward an insanity defence. She was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and a competency hearing was scheduled for the following year.⁷

The following year, however, Brandi changed her plea and instead pleaded guilty to two counts of murder. The sentencing phase would be held several months later. She was given the opportunity to speak but she refused to say a word. She failed to apologise or offer up an explanation for her actions. The judge would ultimately sentence Brandi to 120 years in prison.⁸ In handing down the sentence, Judge Harry Siamas said that everybody wanted an explanation for the senseless murders, stating that it was extremely unnatural for a parent to kill their own child. “Sometimes, there is no explanation,” he said. “Darkness is in this world… And it penetrates minds and our hearts.”⁹

Brandi Worley has still reportedly shown no remorse for the murder of her two children. In prison, she has been diagnosed with depression and has been in an “unemotional” state. After Brandi was sent to prison, Jason stated: “All I care is to never see her again.” Out of sight, out of mind.”

1. 17 November, 2016 – “Central Indiana Woman Calls 911, Confesses to Killing 2 Kids”
2. Associated Press, 17 November, 2016 – “Indiana Woman Confesses to Killing Her 2 Children”
3. Journal Review, 21 November, 2016 – “Tyler Worley, Charlee Worley”
4. Journal Review, 22 November, 2016 – “Worley Children Funeral Set for Today”
5. Associated Press, 18 November, 2016 – “Central Indiana Woman Wanted to Die with Children”
6. Journal Review, 31 December, 2016 – “Community Mourns After Double Homicide”
7. Associated Press, 6 July, 2017 – “Insanity Defence Planned for Indiana Mom in Fatal Stabbings”
8. Associated Press, 19 March, 2018 – “Central Indiana Woman Gets 120 Years for Killing 2 Children”
9. Journal & Courier – “Darlington Mom Sentenced to 120 Years For Murdering Her Children”