On Friday morning, two adults and three children were found dead in Elk Mills, Maryland, prompting the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office to investigate an apparent murder-suicide.
“This is a tragic and terrible day for our county and our community,” Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams said during a news conference Friday afternoon. “Any time you have a loss at these levels — any loss is devastating, but a loss of this level, which is not a common thing, it’s certainly not a common thing here in Cecil County — it’s tragic and terrible and takes a long time for people to process.”
According to the sheriff, the next of kin of the deceased family has not yet been notified. The sheriff said that children in the fifth through eighth grades have been home-schooled, specifying only their current grades.
According to protocol, four nearby schools have been placed on code yellow, which means they are in a heightened state of alert.
Sheriff’s records show no history of calls to the house.
The Sheriff’s Office made a reverse 911 call to inform the public that there was no threat to the public.
Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police are assisting in the investigation.
Domestic partners are most likely to commit murder-suicide. Although kids are not involved as often as adults, several instances have already occurred this year.
For more on this story, please consider these sources:
- 2 adults, 3 children found dead in Cecil County home after apparent murder-suicide WBAL TV Baltimore
- Maryland Death Investigation:5 people confirmed dead inside Elk Mills home, near Newark, Delaware border after reported shooting WPVI-TV
- Man, woman and 3 children found shot, killed at Cecil County home CBS Baltimore
- Five people found shot dead in Cecil County home, say police Fox Baltimore
- Five killed in Cecil County shooting, police say WJZ