Mother who killed her 2 kids in the name of 'religious apocalypse' sentenced to life

Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering her two children and conspiring to kill her husband’s ex-wife—a case that dominated the headlines four years ago, leading many to dub Lori as ‘doomsday mom’.

In May, she was found guilty by the jury on all three charges.

According to the US prosecutors, the 50-year-old woman became obsessed with a religious apocalypse and believed that her children must be wiped off so that they could go to heaven.

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It was further argued that Lori, who hails from Idaho, believed her children were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.

Judge hands three life sentences

On Monday (July 31), Lori was given three life sentences for killing her children—16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow—and for the conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Tammy Daybell, the first wife of her husband, Chad Daybell.

She will serve these charges consecutively, Judge Steven W Boyce ruled, with two additional life sentences and a sentence of 10 years for grand theft to be served concurrently, reports CNN.

While handing out the sentence, Judge Boyce said that the defendant’s lack of a prior criminal record was the “single most mitigating factor” in the case.

He said that she had shown no remorse despite getting convicted of “the most serious charges”.

“Murder is the most serious offence, and the most unimaginable type of murder is to have a mother murdering her own children, and that’s exactly what you did,” he said, addressing Lori.

“You were involved in and guilty of conspiring to murder … Tammy Daybell, who had children of her own. And despite the jury convicting you with overwhelming evidence, you still sit here before the court today and said you didn’t do it.”

What did Lori say?

During the hearing on Monday, Lori denied killing her children and continued to justify her actions by quoting religious texts and beliefs.

She claimed to have spoken to Jesus, her children and her husband’s wife after their deaths and said they were “happy and extremely busy” in heaven.

“Jesus Christ knows that no one was murdered in this case,” Lori said, adding, “Accidental deaths happen, suicides happen, fatal side effects from medications happen.”

To which the judge responded, “I don’t believe that any God in any religion would want to have this happen.”

The children went missing in September 2019, and Tammy Daybell died the following month. Lori and Chad, who was her lover, married just weeks later.

In June 2020, law enforcement authorities discovered the remains of Tylee and JJ in Daybell’s backyard in Fremont County.

Chad will be tried separately in April 2024 on two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction; alteration or concealment of evidence; and two felony counts of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. He has pleaded not guilty.

(With inputs from agencies)

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