Hart family crash

Jennifer Jean Hart and Sarah Margaret Hart (née Gengler) were both from South Dakota; Jennifer originated from Huron, Sarah from Big Stone City.[3][4] Jennifer Hart attended Huron High School.[3] Sarah attended high school in Minnesota.[5] Some sources described Ortonville, Minnesota, adjacent to Big Stone City, as Sarah Hart's hometown.[6] The two women attended Northern State University;[7] Sarah initially attended University of Minnesota for one semester before transferring and Jennifer had transferred from Augustana University.[3] Both women majored in elementary education,[5] with the latter focusing on special education. The former did not graduate, while the latter did.[7] The two women were no longer university students after 2002.[5]

The women began their relationship at the university. On Facebook, Jennifer stated that the women were initially closeted and faced ostracism once they publicly outed themselves, prompting their moves.[7] They moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, in 2004,[8] were subsequently residents of West Linn, Oregon,[9] and an unincorporated area in Clark County, Washington (outside of the city limits of Woodland);[10] and had six adopted children during their lives.[9] The couple was living in Woodland at the time of the crash.[9] In 2005 Sarah asked the local court to have her family name altered to match her partner's.[11] They went to Connecticut to be married in 2009; at the time same sex marriage was not yet legal in every state.[12] Jennifer worked miscellaneous jobs until she became a stay-at-home mom in 2006, while Sarah worked as a manager at a Herberger's shop in Alexandria,[8] and later at a Kohl's in Hazel Dell, Washington.[13] The Harts received funds from the state of Texas, covering their children.[14] Almost 50% of the family income was made up of Texas funding.[13]

Prior to adopting their six children, Jennifer and Sarah Hart were foster parents to a 15-year-old girl.[15] A week prior to when the other children were due to arrive, the Harts dropped the 15-year-old girl off at a therapist appointment and the therapist informed her that the Harts would not be coming back to get her, saying the Harts were just not a good fit.[15]

Abigail (born 2003), Hannah Jean (born 2002),[16] and Markis Hart (born 1998) were adopted from Colorado County, Texas;[17] the placement came on March 4, 2006.[12] The children's biological parents had their parental rights canceled by a court in Harris County, Texas, in August, and the formal adoption came in September.[11] In June 2008 they adopted three additional children, Ciera Maija,[18] Devonte Jordan,[19] and Jeremiah Hart.[12] Devonte, Jeremiah, and Ciera were born in 2002, 2004, and 2005, respectively, and originated from Houston. Their biological mother lost custody as she had substance abuse problems with crack cocaine.[20] Each of the children had a different biological father. They were given to an aunt under the condition that they have no contact with their biological mother. However, the aunt allowed the biological mother to babysit the children, which a case worker observed. As a result, the aunt lost custody.[21] She attempted to obtain permanent custody of the children, but the courts prevented her from doing so.[11]

Prior to the murders, Devonte Hart was 12 years old when he came into the national spotlight when he was photographed crying as he embraced a police officer during a 2014 protest in Portland resulting from the Ferguson unrest.[22] The image became known as the "hug felt 'round the world."[23] Jennifer Hart was very active on social media and used Facebook to portray an image of a loving, happy family while also sharing her thoughts on race, politics, and trips the family went on. This helped mask some of the problems in the family. One allegation of child abuse in 2013 touched upon Jennifer Hart's use of Facebook, saying that, "... the kids pose and are made to look like one big happy family, but after the photo event, they go back to looking lifeless."[24]

On March 26, 2018, Jennifer and Sarah Hart murdered all six of their children when Jennifer Hart drove an SUV over a 100-foot (30 m) cliff on California State Route 1, in Mendocino County, California, near Westport.[27][12] The bodies of five of the children (Hannah, 16; Markis, 19; Jeremiah, 14; Abigail, 14; and Ciera, 12) were found in or nearby the vehicle, which landed upside down on a Pacific Ocean beach. The body of Devonte, 15, has not been found.[12][28] A superior court judge ruled that Devonte was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, and a death certificate was signed on April 3, 2019.[29]

Authorities found that the SUV had been intentionally driven off the edge of the cliff.[12] The car had a black box that recorded parameters of the drive and fall.[30] A 14-member coroner's jury unanimously ruled the case a murder–suicide.[28][27][31] The inquest was called to determine cause of death, but not any responsibility in the civil or criminal fields.[32] The California Highway Patrol emailed Glamour magazine, stating that criminal prosecution was not possible due to the deaths of any responsible parties.[33]

Toxicology results showed that at the time of the crash, Jennifer Hart was over the alcohol legal limit.[12][28] The toxicology tests also found that Sarah Hart and two of their children had diphenhydramine in their systems.[28] Before the crash Sarah Hart made Google searches inquiring about Benadryl, no kill shelters, and the nature of drowning.[27] Andrew Theen of The Oregonian stated that previous child abuse allegations were a common element with familicide.[34]

Jennifer Hart's family planned a memorial service in Huron, but a relative stated that the event did not occur.[35]

• Morgan, Rachel; Lewis, Chuck; Sherwood, Matthew (May 22, 2020). "The Hart Family Tragedy" (Podcast). Documentary. Factual America.