Mom Chardonnay Benavidez Used Fake Sleepover To Lure Children to Carbon Monoxide Murder

An Oregon mother is facing multiple attempted murder charges after authorities say she tried to kill herself and her three young children using carbon monoxide in a vehicle parked inside her garage, according to police and court records.

2-year-old Chardonnay Marie Benavidez of Keizer, OR allegedly called 911 on the evening of June 6 and reported that her children were “falling into and out of consciousness” after she allegedly attempted to kill them and herself with carbon monoxide.

Officers responding to the home discovered Benavidez and her three children inside the residence. According to police, emergency crews also found a vehicle in the attached garage with what authorities described as a makeshift apparatus directing exhaust fumes into the vehicle’s interior. Fire personnel were required to ventilate the garage before officers could safely enter because of the concentration of carbon monoxide present.

All four were transported to a hospital and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities said the three children were later medically cleared and released to their father.

During Benavidez’s initial court appearance, prosecutors alleged that the act had been planned in advance. According to statements made in court, “The defendant told law enforcement that she had been planning this, researching it, for about a week.” Prosecutors further alleged that she had considered “multiple options” before deciding on a method that would cause everyone to “fall asleep together.”

Court proceedings also revealed additional details about the alleged incident. Investigators believe Benavidez told her children they were having a “sleepover” in the vehicle before carrying out the plan.

Benavidez has been charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder. Additional reports indicate she also faces first-degree attempted assault charges. A judge denied bail during her initial appearance, citing the seriousness of the allegations.

Police said Benavidez was initially placed on a physician’s hold and evaluated by psychiatric staff before being transferred to the Marion County Correctional Facility. She has no bail, and her next court appearance is June 17.