Oregon Public Broadcasting

A woman charged with murdering her 4-year-old and attempting to murder her 7-year-old by drowning them in the Willamette River, pleaded not-guilty Wednesday. As Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, the police released more details of the tragedy after Amanda Stott-Smith’s arraignment.

Police say Stott-Smith picked her kids up from her estranged husband at about 8 o’clock on a Friday night -- perhaps to take them to the Rose Festival. By 11 o’clock her family was worried they hadn’t returned.

Portland Police chief Rosie Sizer says that just after 2 a.m. the children were being pulled out of the water.

Rosie Sizer: “Many of our young officers have young children and I think were deeply moved and deeply disturbed by what happened.”

Sizer said Stott-Smith tried to commit suicide by throwing herself off a downtown parking garage, but another officer caught her wrist as she dangled. He will receive an award at a ceremony June 10th.