An Idaho woman who stated her toddler twins died last year following vaccinations now faces murder charges in connection with their deaths. A grand jury indicted Andrea Shaw, 23, on two counts of first-degree murder on June 29, according to court records and a release from the Payette Police Department. Authorities accuse Shaw of suffocating her 18-month-old twins in May 2025.
Shaw had previously appeared on an internet show produced by Children’s Health Defense, an organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where she claimed her twins died after receiving vaccinations. Kennedy resigned from the group in December 2024 to join the Trump administration.
During her May 2025 appearance, Shaw stated she found her twins deceased in their room days after they received immunizations for influenza and other diseases. "They had got their shots at the same time by two nurses at the same time,” Shaw said. "And they got sick.”
Medical experts assert that the childhood vaccines at issue, including hepatitis A, influenza, and DTaP, are safe and effective for children and are recommended by various medical organizations.
Shaw is also a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit initiated by Children’s Health Defense and other parties against the American Academy of Pediatrics. Filed in January in federal court in Washington, the lawsuit alleges racketeering by the academy for its alleged central role in a decades-long effort to defraud American families regarding vaccine safety. Shaw is described in the suit as a mother "whose children died following routine vaccinations administered according to AAP guidelines."
The American Academy of Pediatrics has requested the court dismiss the suit, arguing in an April filing that it represents a campaign targeting the academy and its use of scientific evidence in vaccine policy.
In January, changes to childhood vaccine guidance by U.S. health officials, which dropped several universal recommendations, raised concerns among pediatricians and other experts. Kennedy stated these changes aimed to align the U.S. with peer nations while enhancing transparency and informed consent. However, a federal judge in March temporarily blocked these changes, ruling that Kennedy may have violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee. The judge's order remains temporary, pending further legal proceedings.
Shaw was arrested Tuesday by Boise police officers and arraigned Thursday. She is being held on a $2 million bond. If convicted of first-degree murder or if she pleads guilty, she could face life in prison or the death penalty. Her next court date is scheduled for July 14. An attorney for Shaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the Payette Police Department and Payette County prosecutor declined to comment.