Lisa Snyder, mom accused of killing kids, appears in court; police, family testify

READING, Pennsylvania -- A Berks County woman accused of killing her two children, then blaming it on her 8-year-old's desire to take his own life, has been ordered to stand trial.

A judge issued that ruling after a preliminary hearing for Lisa Snyder in a courthouse in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania, WFMZ-TV reports.

Mom charged with murder in hanging deaths of 2 children in Berks County. Walter Perez reports during Action News at 4pm on December 2, 2019.

The hearing for the high-profile case is being held there rather than at a district judge's office because of heightened security that resulted from online death threats made against Snyder, officials told WFMZ-TV.

Snyder is accused of hanging her 8-year-old son, Conner, and her 4-year-old daughter, Brinley with a dog lead in the basement of their home in Albany Township back in September.

According to investigators, Snyder told police that Conner was bullied in school and wanted to die by suicide, but didn't want to go alone so he killed his sister as well.

Lisa Snyder was arrested for the deaths of her two children in Albany Township, Pennsylvania on December 2, 2019.

Police said they found no evidence to support that claim.

Several family members were in court to testify about the validity of Snyder's bullying claim.

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was also in court. WFMZ-TV reports the trooper became emotional when asked to identify Conner and Brinley in a photo he was shown on the witness stand.

Snyder was arrested in December and charged with two counts each of first- and third-degree murder.

Her formal arraignment is set for March 12.

District Attorney John Adams holds a news conference on December 2, 2019 about the arrest of Lisa Snyder for the alleged murder of her two children.