Andrea Faust, 41, was arrested after police found her two young sons unresponsive in their Durham home on Feb. 12; one child later died and the other is expected to recover. Faust faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Her husband told the court he believes she suffered a mental-health crisis and pleaded with her to get treatment. A judge denied bond and ordered mental-health services; the next hearing is set for March 3.
Durham Mother Charged After Two Young Sons Found Unresponsive; One Dead, Husband Pleads Mental-Health Crisis
Andrea FaustCredit: Durham Police Department
A Durham, N.C., woman has been arrested and charged after two young boys were found unresponsive in their home on Feb. 12. One child later died at a local hospital; the other is reported to be expected to recover. Authorities have charged 41-year-old Andrea Faust with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
What Authorities Say
Police responded to a welfare check at a Durham residence at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, and discovered two brothers, both under the age of five, unresponsive. Emergency crews transported them to a nearby hospital, where one child later died. Investigators have not publicly released details about how the injuries occurred.
Andrea FaustCredit: Durham Police Department
Court Appearance and Family Statement
Andrea Faust was scheduled for an initial court appearance on Feb. 16 but attended remotely from a hospital bed after an apparent attempt to harm herself, according to her husband, Eric Faust. During the virtual hearing, Eric made an emotional plea to his wife and to the public, describing the events as out of character and attributing them to a mental-health crisis.
"Andrea, I’m begging you, please no more attempts to harm yourself. Work with your doctors. Work with anything you can. And I promise you, if you do that, I will let you know how [the surviving child] is doing as often as I can," he told the court.
Case Status
A Durham County judge denied bond for Andrea Faust and ordered that she receive mental-health services while in custody. Her next court date is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3. Prosecutors continue to investigate and have not released further details about the circumstances that led to the children’s injuries.
Durham Police vehicle (stock image)Credit: Al Drago/Getty
Community Reaction and Resources
Neighbors described the situation as shocking and said the family had appeared under increased stress in recent months. Local outlets reported that people who knew the family described Andrea as a loving mother, and neighbors expressed disbelief over the alleged events.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental-health crisis or needs support, contact the 988 Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or by visiting 988lifeline.org for 24/7 help.
Reporting is based on local news outlets and court statements. Details remain limited while the investigation continues.
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