Sonya Spoon

Background

Sonya Spoon was 24 years old. She was involved in several custody battles over her daughter, Kayla Thompson, and her son, Ayden Spoon. Court records in Calvert County showed a contentious custody battle. A judge had ordered mediation for the couple on several occasions, but they could not reach an agreement that lasted long. A custody hearing was set for Sept. 23. Spoon had been engaged in several custody battles over Kayla and Ayden, and she had struggled with mental health issues in the days leading up to the deaths.

Lester Thompson, Kayla’s father, said Spoon was hospitalized for several days before she was released. He said he never had any reason to believe Spoon would harm her children and described Spoon as “pretty docile,” adding: “Never . . . signs or anything like that. Never.” Thompson said he and Spoon broke up soon after Kayla’s birth and that Spoon sought to keep him away from their daughter.

Court records also showed that Spoon officially had her son’s name changed to Ayden Jonathan Spoon last September because she claimed the child’s father was not involved in the boy’s life. Attempts to reach the boy’s father were unsuccessful.

Public records indicated the house where the children were found was occupied by Gary Spoon and his wife, Paivi Spoon. There was no answer at the split-level dwelling on Forest Road, where a sign on a side door read “Gary L Spoon, Certified Public Accountant.” Neighbors said the family had lived at the house for at least 20 years and that Gary Spoon operated a business from it. Neighbors in Chesapeake Beach said Spoon had moved in with her parents recently and that they had seen young children around the house. Spoon’s parents, Gary and Paivi Spoon, were not home at the time.

Neighbors described Paivi Spoon as loving with the children. One neighbor said: “The grandparents were very nice people. [Paivi Spoon] was very loving with the kids. She would take them walking up and down the boardwalk.” Another neighbor, Millicent Forbes, said she had seen “grandbabies in passing over there” and thought it “must’ve been grandchildren.” Another neighbor said the killings made her feel uncomfortable and commented: “You feel so safe living right across from the police. This seems very strange for this neighborhood.” Angela Pryor, 51, who lived down the block from the Spoons, said the block was quiet because it was adjacent to the small Cheverly town offices and said: “You feel so safe living right across from the police. This seems very strange for this neighborhood.”

The offence

Kayla Thompson, 3, and Ayden Spoon, 1, were found unconscious with plastic bags and duct tape around their heads in the Cheverly home where Spoon was staying with her mother. Spoon admitted her involvement in the children’s killings and had been described as having told authorities that she killed her children. The toddlers were pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Children’s National Medical Center in the District.

Police said the children were suffocated, and the official cause of death had not been determined. Police described evidence at the home and said “Foul play was readily apparent.”

Investigation

The Prince George’s County police department took over the homicide investigation. Maj. Cesar Pacheco, head of the county’s Criminal Investigations Division, said Spoon admitted her involvement in the children’s killings.

Investigators received a call about 2:15 from the children’s maternal grandmother, Paivi Spoon, that Kayla and Ayden were not breathing. A call from Paivi Spoon led authorities to find that the children had been found with plastic bags and duct tape around their faces and heads. Paivi Spoon removed the bags and tape and tried to administer CPR before rescue crews transported the children.

Police said they were still trying to find a motive and detectives were attempting to determine why the killings occurred. Police also said they were not certain how long Spoon’s recent hospital stay was or what she might have been treated for.

Maryland officials who oversee state social services launched a routine, internal review into Kayla and Ayden’s deaths. Brian Schleter, a department spokesman, said: “As we do with all child fatalities, the Department of Human Resources has initiated an internal review of this case,” and “We are also working closely with local law enforcement on their criminal investigation into this terrible tragedy.”

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III issued a statement saying: “We are all saddened by this tragic event. The loss of two children that were so young tugs at our hearts. As the police investigate this horrible case, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the people of the Cheverly community as they try to reconcile how and why this happened.”

Detective Bernard Jones underlined that the murders were an isolated incident and said there was “no need for the community to be afraid.”

Arrest

Police said Spoon was taken into custody at the home on Forest Road after two unconscious children were reported there about 2 a.m. Spoon was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and was held without bond. Police said Spoon was taken in for emergency psychiatric evaluation less than a week before she was charged.

Trial

Spoon’s psychiatric history and custody issues were being considered while detectives continued to try to find a motive.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was provided.

Appeals

No appeals information was provided.

Outcome

Spoon was held without bond on two counts of first-degree murder connected with the deaths of Ayden Spoon and Kayla Thompson. Police said Spoon suffocated the children. Spoon admitted her involvement in the killings. Paramedics were called to Spoon’s Maryland home at around 2 a.m. on Sunday; the children were taken to Children’s Hospital in Washington and died a few hours later.

Aftermath

Spoon’s tweet history included posts about her feelings. An Aug. 20 tweet showed a selfie with Spoon and Kayla with the caption “My love :)”. In earlier postings, Spoon quoted from the musical group Evanescence and talked about how the group “always gets how I feel during the high and the low times.” The tweet included lyrics to a song titled “Missing”:

“Please, please forgive me but I won’t be home again I know what you do to yourself I breathe deep and cry out. Isn’t something missing? Isn’t someone missing me?”

Thompson described the loss of Kayla and made comments about what punishment would be appropriate. He said Kayla loved to dance, sing, and make up songs about princesses, cats and anything else that crossed her mind. Thompson said: “There’s no law that can penalize her the way that’s appropriate for what she did to those children,” and “She does not deserve to speak the name of my daughter or her son out of her mouth.”

Other details

Paivi Spoon said investigators learned from her that Sonya Spoon woke her up and ultimately told her that she killed her children. The children had been found with plastic bags and duct tape around their faces and heads, and Paivi Spoon removed the bags and tape and tried to administer CPR.

Public records showed that Spoon demanded a paternity test in February, and the test showed Lester Thompson was the biological father. Court records showed Spoon refused to sign a custody agreement in May and then was granted primary custody. Lester Thompson wrote on Facebook: “Going to pick up my daughter today and I am so happy to spend some time with her.”

Spoon’s Twitter profile stated she was adopted from Russia and brought to the United States when she was three-years-old. She posted photos of her children on social networking site with the phrase “my world.” Her last post on Aug. 20 was a photo of her with Kayla titled “My love.”

Neighbors reported that traces of black fingerprint dust were visible on the white front door after ambulances left, and they described the house as quiet and seemingly empty.

The first report said Spoon would remain in police custody pending trial.