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There are just no words.
By Dan O'Reilly — Written on Mar 22, 2022
A Pennsylvania mother accused of the homicide of her two daughters has testified that she and her girlfriend starved and physically abused the children until they died.
Marie Snyder and Echo Butler are facing homicide charges and a litany of other charges for the deaths of Snyder’s two daughters, Jasmine and Nicole Snyder.
Nicole Snyder was 6 years old. Jasmine Snyder was 3 years old.
Marie Snyder and Echo Butler were arrested after the bodies of the two girls were found in their home.
In September of 2021, authorities became suspicious when child welfare investigators started looking into allegations that a 7-year-old child was being neglected. Investigators inquired with Snyder as to the location of her children.
Just two months later, in November of 2021, authorities found human remains buried in Snyder’s residence.
Jasmine and Nicole Snyder were subjected to unimaginable abuse.
Snyder and Butler admitted that the children endured untold abuse before they died, including being starved.
Butler allegedly told authorities that she would “knee or push” the girls into walls as well as choke Nicole until her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
Both Butler and Snyder reportedly starved the girls as well, barely feeding them or giving them any water. The girls would also spend a lot of time in dark environments and be forced to take cold baths as punishment.
The descriptions of the girls before their deaths provided by authorities from the testimony of Butler and Snyder are horrific. Reportedly, shortly before her death, Nicole Snyder couldn’t stand on her own, was extremely pale and her hair was falling out.
The girls are believed to have died half a decade ago, Nicole in 2016 and Jasmine in 2017.
Snyder allegedly continued to receive benefits for the children after they died.
The girls were allegedly tortured and killed in this way because Butler “hated” them.
One of Snyder’s letters to Butler read, “If you want them gone, they’re gone.” Another message says, “I started to correct them, and it went very wrong. I lost one of my babies.”
Among their many charges, Snyder is facing allegations of homicide, child abuse, and theft.
Butler has been charged with homicide, tampering with evidence, abuse of corpses, and several other crimes.
Butler's parents, Ron and Michelle Butler, are also facing charges including endangering the welfare of children and concealing the death of a child.
Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty for the deaths and horrific treatment of the two girls.
“The death penalty will be pursued against Marie Snyder and Echo Butler,” Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner told reporters. “Prior to their death, (they) lived in and were subjected to conditions beyond comprehension.”
Dan O'Reilly is a writer who covers news, politics, and social justice. Follow him on Twitter.