The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld the murder conviction of a Coralville woman who bound her children before driving them into a pond over two years ago.

Michelle Kehoe was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and child endangerment causing injury, after she drove a van with both her sons to a pond in a secluded area, duct taped their mouths, and cut their necks with a hunting knife before slitting her own throat.

Kehoe appealed her conviction on all three charges on grounds her attorneys were ineffective because they failed to challenge the constitutionality of the legal standard for an insanity defense in Iowa. She also claimed her lawyers failed to object to proposed jury instructions.

The Court of Appeals dismissed those claims and ultimately ruled to affirm the decision Wednesday.

— by Hayley Bruce