Jane Gaudreau, the mother of Johnny and Matthew, candidly revealed her emotional state after the man accused of killing her sons pleaded not guilty.
Sean M. Higgins pleaded not guilty to all charges, including first-degree manslaughter, during an arraignment hearing in New Jersey on Tuesday, January 7. Higgins, whose blood alcohol level was over the legal limit at the time, is accused of striking Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, with his Jeep Cherokee while they were riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on August 29, 2024. The brothers died on the scene.
Hours after Higgins entered his plea, Jane posted two very telling quotes via her Instagram Story.
“Sometimes life is hard,” one of the quotes posted on Tuesday read. “Some days are very rough, and sometimes you just have to cry before you can move forward.”
The quote finished, “…And that’s okay.”
Jane posted another quote attributed to Patrick Stump, the lead singer of Fall Out Boy.
“When you have a bad day — a really bad day — try and treat the world better than it treated you,” the quote read.
Higgins also pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree reckless vehicular homicide, a fourth-degree charge of tampering with physical evidence and a second-degree charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
During the arraignment on Tuesday, it was revealed that Higgins was offered a 35-year prison sentence if he pleaded guilty to both aggravated manslaughter charges and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
Salem County assistant prosecutor Michael Mestern said Higgins would need to plead guilty to both aggravated manslaughter charges in exchange for consecutive 15-year sentences.
If convicted, each charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter carries a maximum of 30 years. Vehicular homicide carries a maximum of 10 years per charge.
In an email to The Athletic, Higgins’ lawyers, Richard F. Klineburger and Matthew Portella, helped explain their client’s not guilty plea.
The email read, in part, “We believe that the facts of this case will reveal that this tragedy was not the result of any malfeasance but rather a combination of uniquely unfortunate circumstances unlikely to ever occur again.”
Members of the Gaudreau family were in attendance at a court hearing for the man charged with killing brothers Johnny and Matthew. Sean M. Higgins appeared in a New Jersey courtroom on Tuesday, November 12, facing two counts of vehicular homicide. Higgins struck and killed Johnny, a forward with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, and […]
Higgins’ next court date is scheduled for February 4.
Sean Higgins Courtesy of Salem County Sheriff’s Office
Jane was recently able to celebrate the arrival of her grandson Tripp, the first baby for her late son Matthew and his wife, Madeline Gaudreau.
“Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop’s hearts are overflowing with love for you, Tripp Matthew,” Jane shared via her Instagram Story on December 29, 2024, also referencing her husband, Guy. “We are so incredibly proud of you and your mommy and I know your Daddy is too! 💙.”
Madeline announced baby Tripp’s birth via Instagram on the same day, calling her newborn “Mommy & Daddy’s world.”
