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2nd child dies in California drowning case with Montana ties

Posted at 8:14 AM, Jul 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-08 10:14:09-04

TULANE COUNTY, CA – A mother who attempted to drown her son in the Clark Fork River in Mineral County over a decade ago — is now accused of drowning her two sons in California.

A seven-year-old has died almost one week after police say his mother tried to drown him. He had been in critical condition.

Police say the mother, Sherri Telnas also tried to drown the boy’s 12-year-old brother in an irrigation ditch. His brother Jackson died immediately following the June 29 incident.

It has been an overwhelming week for the family of the Telnas boys coming from Arizona and Montana to visit their relative hanging on for his life.

“It has been exhausting in a way that I have not been exhausted in a very long time, said the boys’ aunt Ellie Brown.

Jacob Telnas
Jacob Telnas with sons Jacob and Jackson (courtesy photo)

Tulare County police say were drowned by their mother.

Brown and the rest of her family — including the boys’ father Jacob Telnas — dropped everything and traveled to California to see his surviving son.

A GoFundMe raised around $2,000 to pay for the father’s plane ticket.

Now both sons have died and the family has no more money to spare for remaining costs. However, thanks to California’s Crime Victim Compensation Program, the bodies will be cremated and sent to the father.

“We do appreciate that the community has done for us. It has been very moving. Jacob is very very grateful,” Brown said.

The family is asking anyone who can to donate to the GoFundMe account because they are already in debt from traveling costs. and lost wages.

Sherri Telnas faces multiple murder charges and will appear in court on August 15.

-Mederios Babb reporting for CBS47