Amanda Jo Stott-Smith, Mother Accused of Drowning 4 Year Old Son Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith in Portland, OR

The story was first reported yesterday as a search for two children, a 4 year old boy and his 7 year old sister who were feared to have fallen into the Williamette River in Portland, OR. The search began as individuals had heard screaming near the Sellwood Bridge early Saturday morning. One would first think that maybe the two children were playing too close to the river’s edge and fell in, until you realize that the incident took place at 1:00 am pt.  However, the incident turned into a homicide investigation when the 3 year old boy died after he and his sister were pulled from the water.

May 23: Portland Police search on a dock near the Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Ore.

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“Homicide detectives investigate suspicious deaths. Children in the water in the middle of the night is not common, that’s unusual. There’s a child who’s deceased and so that’s why homicide detectives are investigating,” Pashley said.

It is now being reported that the mother of the two children, 31 year old Amanda Jo Stott-Smith, has been arrested and charged with the aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder of her children. The 4 year old boy, Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith, and his 7 year old sister were eventually recovered from the river; however, sadly the boy died when he could not be revived. Detective Sgt. Rich Austria of the Portland Police Bureau stated that the 7 year old girl was okay, “She’s doing well.”

Amanda Jo Stott-Smith was booked into Multnomah County Jail on the charges earlier in the afternoon, police said.

Officials also announced that Smith’s 7-year-old daughter, who survived for several hours in the chilly river’s waters and swift currents, remained hospitalized in serious condition, but that she was expected to live.

Amanda Jo Stott-Smith was taken into the custody by police at a downtown parking garage several hours after her children were found.

Police said the mother, Amanda Jo Stott-Smith, was taken into the custody at a downtown parking garage several hours after her children were found. Stott-Smith, 31, threatened to jump off the garage’s ninth floor in before she was arrested, Austria said.

Stott-Smith faces aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder charges, Austria said.

A police spokesman said he did not know if Stott-Smith had an attorney

Kudos go out to the private citizen, Patti Carr, who had heard the screams and subsequently helped in the search for the two children. The people who rushed to the aid of these children are true heroes.

But ultimately it was a private citizen who discovered the two young children. He had heard them and launched his boat to assist with the search, Officer Pashley said. He found the children about a half-mile downstream of Sellwood Bridge.

The good samaritan brought the children to the docks of the Oregon Yacht Club. The 4-year-old boy was dead and the girl was taken to an area hospital for treatment.