Colorado woman accused of killing her children extradited from UK to US

A Colorado mother who is accused of murdering two of her children has been extradited from the UK to the US, authorities say.

Kimberlee Singler, 37, is alleged to have carried out the attack in Colorado before fleeing to London, where she was arrested in December 2023.

She challenged her extradition at Westminster Magistrates Court - reportedly on the basis that her sentence, if she was convicted, would break European human rights law. But she was unsuccessful.

A district attorney in Colorado confirmed on Tuesday that Ms Singler was back in the US and was in custody. She was being held without bond and was expected to appear in court "in the coming days".

The district attorney, Michael Allen, said Ms Singler was facing charges of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of child abuse and one count of assault.

At the extradition hearing in London, the court heard that Ms Singler's alleged crimes were "committed against the backdrop of acrimonious court proceedings" relating to the custody of her children with her ex-husband.

Prosecutor Joel Smith said police in Colorado Springs responded to a 911 call reporting a burglary at a Colorado residence at 00:29 local time (06:29 GMT) on 19 December 2023.

When officers arrived at the defendant's address, they found her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son dead and a "blood-stained handgun", which was discovered on the floor of the bedroom.

Mr Smith said DNA tests were carried out on the gun and a knife which revealed the presence of mixed profiles matching the children and Ms Singler.

A third child, who has not been named, was found with a serious injury to her neck. She was taken to hospital and survived.

Mr Smith said Ms Singler blamed her husband for the attack, but it was found he had been driving a "GPS-tracked truck" in Denver, giving what the prosecutor described as a "complete and verifiable alibi".

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Adrian Vasquez, the Colorado Springs police chief, said the extradition of Ms Singler was "a significant milestone" in the investigation.

Chief Vasquez added: "I know these acts have deeply impacted this community, and our hearts remain with the victims."