Susan Smith Indicted in Death of Sons

The woman accused of drowning her two sons by pushing her car into a lake with them inside was indicted on murder charges Monday.

The case drew national attention when Susan Smith claimed that 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex were kidnaped by a carjacker. She made several tearful appeals on national television for their safe return before confessing that she had drowned them.

A decision on whether to seek the death penalty has been put off until after the holidays out of courtesy to Smith’s family, prosecutor Tommy Pope said. Smith, who was separated from the boys’ father, said in her confession that she contemplated suicide before pushing the car off a boat ramp on Oct. 25. She said she was depressed about her relationship with another man.