The Royal Affair Poetry Podcast ~Episode 49 with Poetess and Best Seller Author, Queen P 👑

[Story inspired Artful Steph to create “DeVonte’s Hart”.www.artfulsteph.com] Jennifer Jean Hart(June 4, 1979[3]) and Sarah Margaret Hart (April 8, 1979,[3] née Gengler) were both from South Dakota; Jennifer originated from Huron, Sarah from Big Stone City, although some sources claim Ortonville, Minnesota – adjacent to Big Stone City – as Sarah’s hometown.[4][5][6] Both women were the eldest children of their families. Jennifer had 2 siblings and Sarah had 3 siblings.[7] According to her father, Jennifer was not initially raised as a Lutheran but was baptized as one.[5]

Jennifer attended Huron High School.[5] Sarah attended high school in Minnesota.[8] The 2 women attended and began their relationship at Northern State University (NSU);[9] Sarah had initially attended University of Minnesota for 1 semester before transferring to NSU,[8] while Jennifer started at Augustana University before transferring in 1999.[5] Both women majored in elementary education,[8] with Sarah focusing on special education. After Sarah graduated in 2002, Jennifer left the university without herself graduating.[9][5] In 2005, Sarah asked a local court to have her last name altered to match her partner’s.[10] The couple went to Connecticut to be married in 2009; at the time same-sex marriage was not yet legal in every U.S. state.[11]

On Facebook Jennifer stated that the women were initially closeted and faced ostracism once they publicly outed themselves, prompting the couple to move.[9] They moved to Alexandria, Minnesota, in 2004,[12] where both women worked at a Herberger’s store.[13] Jennifer worked miscellaneous jobs until she became a stay-at-home mom in 2006, while Sarah became a manager at Herberger’s.[12] After a period of living in West Linn, Oregon,[14] the Harts moved to an unincorporated area near Woodland, Washington;[15] Sarah became a manager at a Kohl’s in Hazel Dell.[16] The couple were living near Woodland at the time of the murders.[14]

The Harts received funds from the state of Texas, covering their 6 adopted children, which accounted for almost 50% of the family’s income.[17][16] Members of Jennifer’s and Sarah’s families stated that the 2 women distanced themselves from them, even though both families were accepting of their sexual orientation.[18] Jennifer estranged herself from her father after 2001.[5] State govt. reports stated that the couple cut off contact with their relatives because of criticism about their parenting.[19]

On March 26, 2018, Jennifer Hart murdered all 6 of their children, including Sarah when Jennifer drove their vehicle, a GMC Yukon XL,[13] over a 100-ft. (30 m) cliff on California State Route 1, in Mendocino County, California, near Westport.[33][11] The bodies of 5 of the children (Hannah, Markis, Jeremiah, Abigail, and Ciera) were found in or nearby the vehicle, which landed upside down on a beach below the cliff. The body of Devonte has not been found.[11][34] A superior court judge ruled that Devonte was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, and a death certificate was signed on April 3, 2019.[35]

Authorities determined that the Yukon had been intentionally driven off the edge of the cliff.[11] The car had a black box that recorded parameters of the drive and fall.[36] A 14 member coroner’s jury unanimously ruled the case a murder–suicide.[34][33][37] The inquest was called to determine cause of death, but not any responsibility in the civil or criminal fields.[38] The California Highway Patrol stated that criminal prosecution was not possible due to the deaths of any responsible parties.[39]

Toxicology results showed that Jennifer’s blood alcohol content was over the legal limit at the time of the crash,[11][34] and that both Sarah and 2 of the children had diphenhydramine in their systems.[34] Sarah had made Google searches before the crash, inquiring about Benadryl, no kill shelters, and the nature of drowning.[33] The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. officially closed the case.

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The Royal Affair by Queen P