Press Release Attempted Murder

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, the O’Fallon Police Department was notified by DCFS that they had received a hotline call from a mandated reporter that Emily Sparks, 29, of O’Fallon disclosed that she had attempted to kill herself and her children on December 4, 2019.  According to the report, Sparks had planned to use a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas to asphyxiate herself and her children while inside her car.

Detective Nick Schmidt subsequently investigated the incident and was able to obtain information that substantiated that Sparks had tried to kill her children and herself in the manner described.  It was learned that Sparks had purchased a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas from a metro-east location on December 4th.  Sparks then drove her to an undisclosed location with the intent to use the carbon dioxide to kill herself and her children, but ultimately, she decided not to follow through with the plan.  The children, ages 3, 5, and 7 were uninjured in the attempt and are currently safe.

The St. Clair County States Attorney’s Office worked closely with the O’Fallon Police Department on the case the and issued three counts of Attempted Murder and three counts of Endangering the Life of a Child against Sparks on February 8, 2020.  Sparks bond was set in the amount of $250,000.00 and he is currently in custody at the St. Clair County Jail.

Captain David Matevey, DSN 50

[email protected]

Desk:  618-624-9504