A mother and her three young children, including one infant, were found dead inside their Oklahoma home on Friday in what police believe to be a triple-murder suicide. The unfortunate incident occurred in the small town of Verdigris following an hours-long standoff between the mother and authorities.
Police were called to the scene when an unidentified woman reported that the mother, who was armed with a gun, briefly held her hostage in a garage near Cypress Street and Dogwood Court, according to the Rogers County Sheriff's Department. The woman somehow managed to escape and alerted a passing police officer at around 4 pm that there were children inside the home.
Unfortunate Murder and Suicide
The police officer managed to rescue the woman before calling for backup, as reported by Verdigris Police Chief Jack Shackleford.
Shackleford noted that they had previously responded to the woman's home multiple times for various domestic incidents and mental health-related calls.
Approximately three-and-a-half hours later, at 7:30 p.m., law enforcement officers entered the house and discovered the bodies of the woman and her three children. The ages of the children ranged from a few months old to around 11 years old, as estimated by officials.
Local police received support and backup from the state police and the local Cherokee Nation SWAT team in their efforts to respond to the situation.
During the investigation, a handgun was also recovered at the scene. Although the identities of the victims have not been disclosed, authorities are treating the case as a murder-suicide investigation.
According to Verdigris Police Chief Jack Shackleford, officers had been to the same home on several occasions in the past, responding to domestic incidents and mental health-related calls. The history of previous incidents at the home added a layer of complexity and concern to the tragic events that unfolded.
As of now, the identities of the woman and her children have not been revealed. However, it has been disclosed that the children's ages range from nine months to 11 years old. The names of the victims will be released only after the pending investigation is over and the families of the victims are notified.
The tragic incident has left the entire community shocked and mourning.
The investigation into the incident has been taken over by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
According to 2 News Oklahoma, the authorities are treating the case as a triple-murder suicide, and it occurred after a standoff that lasted for over two hours.
