Remains found on mom’s property are of girls missing since 2015, Pennsylvania cops say
Remains of two small children were recovered last weekend on the property of a mother who was arrested Nov. 4, Pennsylvania police say.
Marie Sue Snyder, 32, faces endangering the welfare of children charges stemming from an investigation involving her living son, the Old Lycoming Township Police Department said. After Snyder and her partner were arrested, authorities began a search “for the alleged buried remains of Marie Snyder’s two female children,” police said.
The girls had not been seen by anyone outside of the family since 2015, WNEP reported.
Investigators recovered human remains Nov. 6 and 7, the police department said. On Nov. 8, police announced the bodies are of 6-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Snyder and 4-year-old Jasmine Jean Snyder.
Nicole was killed in 2016, and Jasmine was killed in 2017, police said. Both were buried in the backyard.
Additional charges against Snyder have not been announced. Her partner, 26-year-old Echo Lane Butler, faces the same charges as Snyder, according to police.
Old Lycoming Police Chief Chris Kriner said in a joint statement with District Attorney Ryan Gardner the deaths of Jasmine and Nicole have been ruled homicides.
“Both DA Gardner and I agree that this situation is a travesty of colossal proportions and this investigation will not conclude until all evidence is gathered and analyzed, interviews are conducted and justice on behalf of the two deceased innocent girls is achieved,” Kriner said.
According to an affidavit obtained by WNEP, the father of the girls had not been allowed to see them since 2015 after an abuse order was filed against him.
The couple was living with Butler’s parents, and an investigation began in September when investigators learned Snyder’s 7-year-old son was not enrolled in school, according to PennLive.com. Snyder told investigators in September that her daughters were living with a friend, but she did not provide a name of the caretaker or a location, the news outlet reported.
The son, who WBRE reported was not potty-trained and could only count to 10, was located Friday and is in the custody of Children and Youth services, police said.
“The child is doing well and no health related issues have been reported,” according to police.
Police ended their search at Snyder and Butler’s residence on Nov. 7.
The property where the girls were found is in Hepburn Township, about 185 miles northeast of Philadelphia.
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 8:21 AM with the headline "Remains found on mom’s property are of girls missing since 2015, Pennsylvania cops say."