Investigators looking into the deaths of a woman and her baby in North Andover, Massachusetts, have shared few details about what's suspected to be a murder-suicide involving a knife.
The Essex County district attorney said Tuesday that the community is "still struggling to comprehend what went so terribly wrong" in the deaths of Jennifer T. Paez and her son, Valentino, and investigators haven't said why they believe Paez would have killed her child. But court records on Paez shed some light on her previous interactions with law enforcement, and paint a picture of someone with mental health struggles.
On Dec. 10, 2022, she was arrested on suspicion of assault on a family member — her sister said she was being aggressive at her mother, and that both were afraid for their safety. The sister told officers, according to a police report, that Paez had bipolar disorder and wasn't taking her medication, leading to erratic and aggressive behavior like shooting the family cat with a Nerf gun and vandalizing property.
Five days later, Paez was arrested on charges including reckless driving, failing to stop for police and disorderly conduct. Police said she had stopped her SUV on Broadway in Lawrence, causing a traffic jam, and then speeding away at 50-60 mph when officers went to investigate.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
When she eventually pulled over, more than half a mile away, Paez tried to kick officers, then yelled profanities at and threatened to fight police, according to the arrest report. One officer at police headquarters recognized her from previous encounters and said she had tried to die by suicide from jumping out of a moving vehicle.
Paez was evaluated at a hospital and eventually had a judge order that, if she complied with her medications and other pre-trial probation conditions, the charges would be dismissed. That would have taken place this Oct. 3.
Paez also had a history of driving offenses in Lawrence. In August 2009, she was behind the wheel in a car crash on Newton and found to have been driving without a license; she received probation. In September 2017, Paez was arrested for allegedly driving an uninsured vehicle on a suspended license in Lawrence; the charges were dismissed.
Paez and Valentino were found at a house on Turnpike Street Monday. Details were initially sparse, but investigators said Tuesday that they were went to the home after receiving a 911 call about 5:15 p.m. and found both the mother and the son with wounds, apparently caused by a knife.
The mother was pronounced dead at the home, while Valentino was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m., authorities said.
Residents who live nearby have said the deaths were a shock.
