Idaho: A 23-year-old woman from Idaho has been placed in pretrial detention after being charged with allegedly suffocating her 18-month-old twins before attempting to blame their deaths on routine childhood vaccinations.

Andrea Shaw was arrested following what police described as a "lengthy and thorough investigation" into the deaths of the children, who died in May 2025.

She now faces two counts of homicide and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Mother had blamed routine childhood vaccines

Following the deaths of her twins, Shaw publicly claimed the children died eight days after receiving several routine childhood vaccinations, including immunisations against: Influenza (flu), Hepatitis A, Tetanus.

She appeared on a programme hosted by Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organisation founded and previously led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before he joined the Trump administration as US Health Secretary.

During the programme, Shaw said she had discovered both children lifeless in their beds. Shaw is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by Children's Health Defense against the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The lawsuit alleges that the AAP misrepresented the safety of vaccines recommended for children.

According to reports, Shaw's testimony forms a key part of the legal challenge.

Court revokes bail

During a court hearing on Tuesday, Shaw's lawyer, Joseph Filicetti, argued that she should be released on reduced bail. "A caring, loving mother. She's not what the state's making her out to be."

Her legal team requested that her $2 million bond be lowered so she could care for an infant daughter born just days before her arrest.

However, Judge Kiley Stuchlik expressed concerns about releasing Shaw and instead revoked her bond, ordering that she remain in custody pending trial.

Experts reject vaccine claims

Medical experts have reiterated that routine childhood vaccines are not linked to suffocation or asphyxiation and questioned Shaw's earlier explanation for the deaths.

Experts noted that the twins were not genetically identical, making simultaneous fatal immune reactions following vaccination highly unlikely.

No evidence has been presented publicly linking the children's deaths to the vaccines they received.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously made disputed claims linking vaccines to autism without scientific evidence, has not publicly commented on Shaw's arrest.

Children's Health Defense also did not respond to media requests for comment following the charges.

The criminal case is expected to continue in Idaho courts as prosecutors prepare for trial.