Tragic Tale of Amanda Stott-Smith: A Mother's Descent into Darkness
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Chapter 1: A Chaotic Beginning
Amanda Stott-Smith was raised in a conservative Christian environment and attended George Fox University. Despite the school's religious atmosphere, she sought a carefree lifestyle filled with parties and male companionship. At the age of 20, she became a single mother when her son, Gavin, was born; his father, Nathan, enlisted in the Navy, leaving Amanda to fend for herself. Struggling with financial hardships, she relied on food stamps and often prioritized partying over her responsibilities as a mother, frequently leaving her infant son with friends.
Soon, Amanda found herself expecting again, this time from a relationship with her drug dealer. They got engaged, but tragedy struck when he took his own life during her pregnancy. Following the birth of her second child, Amanda chose adoption for the baby. Yet, she quickly moved on to a new partner, Jason Smith, who came from a stable background but had his own set of issues. Their relationship was fraught with toxicity from the outset.
In June 2000, police responded to a 911 call made by Amanda, who reported that Jason had physically restrained her. This led to the involvement of child welfare services. Although Jason was referred for domestic violence counseling, the case was ultimately closed. By August, Amanda reported another incident, claiming Jason attempted to strangle her in front of Gavin. Again, child services were unable to locate the family, and the case was terminated.
Despite their turbulent relationship, Amanda became pregnant for a third time. Jason proposed, and they married in Hawaii on April 29, 2001. However, their marriage was plagued by ongoing financial and personal issues. After Amanda left Gavin locked in a hot car in May 2001, the couple’s problems escalated, leading them to move to Hawaii in search of a fresh start. Yet, financial struggles persisted, leading to further volatility in their marriage.
By 2008, Jason decided to seek help and entered rehab, leaving Amanda to manage their three children alone. His mother, Christine, provided financial support, recognizing Amanda's poor parenting choices and encouraging Jason to seek custody in their divorce proceedings. Following a custody battle where Amanda represented herself, the judge allowed her to retain legal custody of Gavin but expanded Nathan's visitation rights. Ultimately, on February 27, 2009, Amanda agreed to grant Nathan full custody of their son.
Chapter 2: A Mother's Despair
In the months following Jason's departure, Amanda's mother admitted her to the hospital on multiple occasions for depression. Feeling abandoned and spiraling out of control, Amanda filed for legal separation on March 20, 2009, requesting her children back, asserting that their father had no right to move them. A judge issued a status quo order, allowing the children to remain in their residence until custody was decided.
On April 21, 2009, Amanda lost custody of her children, who were returned to their father, with Amanda receiving visitation rights every other weekend. On May 23, 2009, Amanda went to pick up her children, Trinity and Eldon, but before leaving, she offered her oldest son, Gavin, the chance to join them; he chose to stay behind.
As the hours passed and Amanda did not return, Gavin’s grandparents grew concerned. They attempted to reach her by phone but received no response. Eventually, they contacted Amanda's sister, Chantel, who revealed that Amanda had intended to take the children to see fireworks.
At 2:49 a.m., Amanda answered Jason's call, uttering the words, "Help me." When he inquired about the children, she responded with a question that revealed her mental state: “Why did you take my joy away?” In a chilling turn of events, Amanda drove to the Selwood Bridge, where she took the lives of her children by throwing them into the water.
Tragedy struck as Amanda called Jason moments after the horrific act. Christine Duncan, Jason's mothe