Photo: Colorado Springs Police Department
An 11-year-old girl, identified by her initials M.W., made a chilling revelation after being transferred to foster care, claiming that her mother, Kimberlee Singler, killed her two younger siblings in their Colorado apartment. According to M.W., her mother had instructed her to lie to authorities about the incident, telling her, “God was telling her to do it” to prevent their father from taking them away.
These details were shared in court by London prosecutor Joel Smith during an extradition hearing, as reported by the Associated Press. The harrowing events unfolded on December 19, when a 911 call was made reporting a burglary at Singler’s apartment. However, authorities later determined that the burglary claim was false.
Inside the apartment, police found 7-year-old Aden Wentz and 9-year-old Elianna “Ellie” Wentz fatally shot and stabbed in their bed. Singler and M.W. were also found injured, though M.W. sustained serious stab wounds while her mother’s injuries were superficial.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, Singler, 36, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her two children and the attempted murder of M.W. Singler was arrested in a London hotel on December 30 after fleeing to the United Kingdom.
She now faces additional charges of child abuse and assault in the first degree, as well as murder and attempted murder charges under Colorado law, which adds penalties for crimes committed against children under 12. M.W. initially told police that a man had broken into their home and attacked the family.
However, she later confided in a caretaker, revealing that her mother had poisoned the children by lacing their milk with powder and then led them to the bedroom, telling them to close their eyes. M.W. said her mother had instructed her to cover for her. Singler allegedly blamed the children’s father, Kevin Wentz, for the murders, claiming that a “dark figure” had entered the apartment and that she had fainted.
However, Wentz’s alibi, confirmed by his truck’s GPS, cleared him of suspicion, and blood found on the weapons matched Singler and her children. At her extradition hearing, Singler’s defense lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, argued that she should not be sent back to Colorado, where she could face life without parole, a sentence that violates European human rights law.
He claimed that Colorado Governor Jared Polis was unlikely to commute her sentence, citing political concerns. However, prosecutor Joel Smith noted that former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper had commuted the sentences of six men convicted of first-degree murder in 2018. The court adjourned the hearing until December 2, when further arguments will be heard regarding Singler’s extradition to face trial in the United States.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
