Darlie Routier: Doting Mother/Deadly Mother

Family, friends and neighbors turned out that Saturday evening at the funeral parlor. The boys were suited in tiny tuxedos in separate walnut caskets, enveloped by roses of red and white. Upon entering the chapel, Darlie knelt at their sides and whispered to them (Detective Frosch overheard), "I'm sorry." She then wailed, "Who could have done this to my children?"

After Darin calmed her down, mourners strode forward to express their condolences. One mourner, Helina Czaban, who sometimes performed general housekeeping duties for the Routiers, was thrown off balance by her employer's remarks.

When she told Darlie how sorry she was for the tragedy, adding, "...and now this expensive funeral to add to your problems," Darlie replied, "I'm not worried. I'll get five-thousand dollars each for both of the boys."

During the hour-long service the next day, "she didn't wipe her eyes," exclaimed a relative, "never cried...There is no mistaking grief."

According to Barbara Davis' Precious Angels, "As the families tried to comfort Darin, Darlie busied herself by looking at the names on the flower arrangements and comforting her relatives...The family would try to excuse Darlie's lack of emotion by blaming the pills (Xanax) the doctor had prescribed. As the family wept before the boys' coffins, Darlie made the comment that she had to be sure to send thank-you notes to all who sent flowers. After all, it was the proper thing to do."