Motive Developing In Death Of Sisters In Rural PA: Report

HEPBURN TOWNSHIP, PA — Authorities in Lycoming County are beginning to learn about potential motives regarding the death of two young sisters whose remains were found buried in Hepburn Township recently.

According to Penn Live, the girls' mother, Marie Sue Snyder, did not want to keep them and only wanted to keep her son.

The girls, Jasman and Nicole Snyder, were found buried behind a trailer home in Hepburn on Nov. 8. They were last seen in 2015; Nicole died in 2016 at 6 and Jasman died in 2017 at 4, according to Old Lycoming Township Police Department Chief Chris Kriner.

The girls' grandfather told Penn Live Snyder offered to give the girls to her ex-husband if he gave up rights to their 7-year-old son, who lived with Snyder and Echo and Michele Butler but is now in custody of Lycoming Children and Youth Services.

Snyder, 32, was charged last week with two counts of felony endangering the welfare of children and one count of obstruction, court records show.

Echo Butler, 26, and her mother Michele Butler, 48, are also charged in connection with the girls' death. Echo Butler lived with Snyder at Michele Butler's home, the outlet reports.

Snyder and Echo Butler reportedly told authorities her daughters were at a friend's house but was unable to say who the friend was or where the friend lived, other than saying it was out of state.

Nicole and Jasman's remains are being examined by a forensic anthropologist in Erie as authorities investigate their deaths.