Idaho mother indicted on first-degree murder charges for twins' deaths after vaccine claim
A grand jury has charged 23-year-old Andrea Shaw with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her 18-month-old twins, whom she previously said died following routine vaccinations.
A Payette County grand jury indicted Andrea Shaw on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of her 18-month-old twins in May 2025. Shaw, 23, was arrested by Boise police on Tuesday and arraigned Thursday. She is being held on a $2 million bond and faces life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 14.
Shaw had previously appeared on an internet program produced by Children’s Health Defense, an organization that opposes vaccines, where she claimed the children died after receiving flu, hepatitis A and DTaP shots administered by two nurses. "They had got their shots at the same time by two nurses at the same time, and they got sick," she said during the interview.
Attorney Joe Filicetti, who represents Shaw, said in a text message that his client "denies anything and everything" and that the state "cannot prove" the charges. > "We will defend her with wholeheartedness," Filicetti added.
Medical experts reiterated that the vaccines in question are considered safe and effective for children and are recommended by major health organizations. The Payette Police Department and the county prosecutor’s office declined to comment on the case.
Shaw is also listed as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by Children’s Health Defense and other parties against the American Academy of Pediatrics, alleging the academy’s involvement in a scheme that misled families about vaccine safety. The academy has moved to dismiss the suit, describing it as part of a broader campaign targeting its science-based policies.
