(Image source: The Today Show)

BY AMY WILLMOTT / STEVEN SPARKMAN

ANCHOR KATIE BRENNAN

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An Oregon woman is fighting to change the custody agreement with her ex-husband over her two sons. She’s doing it because the stepmother -- killed her own children. Portland’s KATU has the backstory.

“Trisha Conlon of Silverton has been fighting for sole custody of the teen and his younger brother -- her children with her ex-husband John Cushing. Well, that’s because Cushing is back together with his first wife who killed their two children in 1991. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity.”

Kristine Cushing spent four years in a mental institution, and was unconditionally released by the state of California, who said she no longer posed a threat to anyone. John remarried Kristine in 2005 after he and Conlon divorced. But Conlon said on the Today Show -- she was kept in the dark.

MATT LAUER: “Is it true that when she moved back into his home, John lied to you about it or at least hid the truth about it?”
TRISHA CONLON: “Yes, that is true.”
LAUER: “Did he also instruct your boys, when they would come to visit, to call Kristine by another name and lie to you about it?”
CONLON: “Yes.”

When Conlon found out her sons had been living with Kristine since 2008, she asked the court for an immediate change in the custody agreement. But the court ruled against her, saying she hasn’t proven Kristine is a threat to the boys. Fox News’ Megyn Kelly thinks that’s ridiculous.

MERCEDES COLWIN: “For 20 years she’s been a model citizen.”
MEGYN KELLY: “Well, good for her.”
COLWIN: “She’s under a lot of doctor’s care, she takes medication, she has a lot of follow-up care.”
KELLY: “Yeah, we also had the medication worked out the first time.”
COLWIN: “That was in 1991, but she has had no incidents since then.”
KELLY: “Oh! So she hasn’t murdered anybody since then. Good for her.”
COLWIN: “No robbery, no murders, no assaults, no batteries.”
KELLY: “Terrific! Take my kids!”

The court’s ruling meant Conlon had to drop her boys off with their father and stepmother at the beginning of August. But the court began a 90-day investigation, and appointed a guardian to interview the kids and Kristine. The LA Times reports -- for now, the Cushings are under the microscope.

“In the meantime, the judge ordered that John Cushing ensure that there are no firearms or other deadly weapons in the home, that he stop living with Kristine if she does not follow her doctors'  recommendations, including those for medications, and that he comply with any ‘safety plan’ imposed by state child protection workers.”
 

Transcript by Newsy.