Julie Schenecker-Mom accused of killing teen children held without bail

TAMPA - Julie Schenecker, the New Tampa mother charged with shooting to death her two teenage children because they were "mouthy," was ordered held without bail this morning by Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Walter Heinrich.
Schenecker, 50, was lead into the courtroom this morning by several deputies, one on each side of her, holding her by the elbows.
"You are obviously going to be held without bond," Heinrich said.
Schenecker was represented by the Hillsborough County Public Defender's Office. Neither prosecution nor defense attorneys commented.
Calyx Schenecker, 16, and her 13-year-old brother, Beau, were found fatally shot Thursday evening.
Earlier this morning, over the loudspeaker, King High School's principal asked for a moment of silence for Calyx. Principal Carla Bruning said she wanted students to come together and support each other.
"I need to make an announcement about the tragic loss of Calyx," said Bruning, who informed students a crisis team was on campus to assist them. "I hope you all stick together and have a great day in the land of the Lions."Calyx was in the school's International Baccalaureate program and a member of the cross country team.
At King, 6815 N. 56th St., several students wore "Harry Potter" garb to school this morning in support of Calyx, who loved the book series.
"Calyx was a wonderful child, the model child in my book," Bruning said. "Sometimes you don't say anything; you just listen, and sometimes you hug them and sometimes you cry with them. You don't have the right words if there are right words. Sometimes just being there is the right thing for the child."
Brian Noll, part of the crisis team at King, said it was important for adults to do more listening than talking.
"These kids are resilient and were here to support their grieving process," said Noll, a social worker. "I'm a parent, and I have to answer that for my child. The best thing to do is listen more than talking. It's important to reassure your child. It's tragic but rare. Ask your kids what they are thinking, and listen."
Julie Schenecker, 50, had told investigators she killed her children because "they talked back, they were mouthy and she was tired of it," police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.
Her first court appearance initially had been scheduled for Saturday, but hours after being arrested she was taken to Tampa General Hospital for evaluation, sheriff's spokesman Larry McKinnon said. She was suffering from a medical condition she had before being arrested on two counts of first-degree murder.
Authorities did not specify the medical condition, but Schenecker was shaking uncontrollably as she was led from police headquarters Friday afternoon. She was released from the hospital Sunday and returned to jail.
Police said Schenecker shot Beau twice in the head as they drove to their Tampa Palms home from soccer practice Thursday evening. Beau was an eighth-grader at Liberty Middle School and played soccer.
After killing her son, Schenecker went to Calyx's bedroom and shot her twice in the head as she was doing her homework, police said.
Schenecker shot the children with a .38-caliber revolver she had bought five days before, investigators said.
When officers arrived at the 3,300-square-foot home in the gated Ashington Reserve community in response to a call from Schenecker's worried mother, Schenecker was on the back porch in slippers and a bloody robe.
Schenecker said she had planned to kill the children and herself, police said. They said she left a detailed note with her plans.
Police seized the gun.
Schenecker's husband, Parker, is a colonel in the U.S. Army and is assigned to U.S. Central Command, where he works in the intelligence directorate. He was in Qatar in the Middle East when his children were killed and was notified of the tragedy by MacDill Air Force Base officials.