Payette, Idaho — An Idaho mother who publicly claimed that routine childhood vaccinations caused the deaths of her 18-month-old twin boys has now been charged with their murders following a lengthy homicide investigation.
Andrea Shaw, 23, was arrested Tuesday in Ada County after a grand jury indicted her on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her twin sons, Tyson and Dallas. The charges come more than a year after the toddlers were found dead in their shared bed, a case that investigators described from the beginning as highly unusual.
Authorities have not disclosed what evidence led to the indictment, and the official cause of death has not been released because the case remains pending.
Twin Toddlers Were Found Dead in Shared Bed
According to the Payette Police Department, officers responded to a trailer park in Payette around 11:30 a.m. on May 1, 2025, after receiving a report of a possible deceased child.
When first responders arrived, they discovered both 18-month-old twins dead in the same bed.
Police immediately launched a homicide investigation, saying the circumstances surrounding the deaths were unlike anything they typically encounter.
At the time, Payette Police Chief Gary Marshall said investigators had numerous unanswered questions because it was extremely uncommon for two toddlers to die at the same time under similar circumstances.
Autopsies were performed on both children, but officials have never publicly released the findings.
Mother Publicly Claimed Vaccines Were Responsible
In the weeks following the tragedy, Shaw and her family publicly maintained that the twins had suffered severe reactions after receiving routine childhood vaccinations during a pediatric appointment several days before their deaths.
According to a fundraiser created by a family member, the children reportedly became ill the day after receiving their vaccines and were later taken to an emergency room, where they were treated before being discharged.
The fundraiser claimed the twins gradually improved over the following week but remained lethargic before they were found dead in their sleep.
Shaw later appeared on a podcast hosted by Children’s Health Defense, an organization known for promoting anti-vaccine claims, where she repeated her belief that vaccinations caused the deaths of Tyson and Dallas.
Defense Questions Murder Allegations
Shaw’s attorney, Joe Filicetti, has continued to dispute the prosecution’s case.
According to local reports, he said doctors he consulted believed the deaths were related to vaccinations and argued investigators had not presented evidence showing the children died through violence.
“I’m not a doctor, but the doctors I’ve consulted say that it’s a vaccine-related death.”
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Filicetti also questioned whether prosecutors could establish a motive, stating they lacked evidence of suffocation, shooting or other obvious forms of homicide.
However, authorities have not publicly revealed the evidence presented to the grand jury, and the indictment remains under seal.
Criminal Case Moves Forward
Following her arrest, Shaw was booked into the Ada County Jail, where she remains in custody awaiting extradition to Payette County.
Police declined to release additional details about the investigation, explaining that the case is now before the court.
Shaw is scheduled to be arraigned on July 14, when she is expected to formally respond to the two first-degree murder charges.
While the criminal proceedings continue, many questions surrounding the deaths of Tyson and Dallas remain unanswered. Investigators have not disclosed the twins’ official cause of death or the evidence that resulted in the grand jury’s decision to indict their mother.
What are your thoughts on this developing case? Share your perspective respectfully in the comments while remembering that the criminal proceedings are ongoing and the allegations will be tested in court.
