Idaho mom indicted in twin deaths she blamed on vaccinations
A Payette County grand jury has indicted Andrea Shaw, 23, on two counts of first-degree murder in the May 2025 deaths of her 18-month-old twins — more than a year after she publicly claimed routine vaccinations killed the children. She was arraigned Thursday on $2 million bond; her next court date is July 14.
More than a year after officers found two 18-month-old twins dead inside a Payette, Idaho, home, Payette police say a former local woman now faces the state's most serious homicide charges. Boise Police arrested Shaw after the grand jury indictment, according to local reports. At the scene in May 2025, authorities said foul play was suspected and treated the case as a homicide from the start.
Key Takeaways
- A grand jury indicted Andrea Shaw on two first-degree murder counts tied to her twins' May 2025 deaths.
- Shaw had publicly blamed routine vaccinations for the toddlers' deaths, including on an anti-vaccine podcast.
- She was arraigned in Payette County with bond set at $2 million; her next hearing is July 14.
- If convicted, Idaho law allows life in prison or the death penalty; Shaw is presumed innocent.
- Payette Police cite a lengthy investigation but will not discuss evidence while the case is pending.
What happened to Andrea Shaw's twins?
Payette Police opened a homicide investigation in May 2025 after officers discovered the bodies of Shaw's 18-month-old twins inside the family's home, KBOI reported. No suspect was identified during the early stages of the probe, but foul play was suspected immediately.
The boy and girl were found dead in a shared bed on May 1, 2025, according to People.com. Payette Police described the arrest as the result of a lengthy investigation with help from partner agencies, but said the department would have no further comment on the facts or evidence while the case is pending in court.
Why did Shaw link the deaths to vaccinations?
Days after the twins died, Shaw appeared on a podcast produced by Children's Health Defense alongside her husband, People.com reported. She suggested the toddlers had become sick after receiving three vaccinations and linked their deaths to those shots.
Her defense attorney, Joe Filicetti, told KTVB that Shaw believes the cause of death was the vaccine. Filicetti said investigators had looked at it as a vaccine death, and that is still what he believes it will be, according to the station's reporting.
The vaccinations angle has drawn attention far beyond Payette, surfacing in the same news cycle as other shocking cases covered under our Bizarre News & Florida Man section.
What murder charges does Shaw face?
A Payette County grand jury returned an indictment charging Shaw with two counts of first-degree murder, KBOI reported. She made her first court appearance in Payette County on Thursday and was arraigned on both counts.
The judge set bond at $2 million. Shaw was initially booked into the Ada County Jail before being transferred to the Payette County Jail for the arraignment, according to KBOI.
Under Idaho law, each first-degree murder conviction can carry a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. Shaw is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
What comes next in court?
Shaw is scheduled to return to Payette County District Court on July 14 for further proceedings, KBOI reported. Payette Police said future information about the case will be presented through the judicial process rather than through department statements.
Filicetti told KTVB that Shaw continues to believe the twins' deaths were vaccine-related rather than criminal. With prosecutors offering no public details on the indictment evidence, the next court date is likely to set the pace for a case that has already drawn national attention.