Five family members have been found dead in a home in northeast Ohio in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities say.
Police in Uniontown, Stark County, made the grisly discovery after performing a wellbeing check at a home in the 13000 block of Carnation Avenue in Lake Township at around 7.30pm on Thursday.
Officers found five dead family members, and described the incident as a domestic dispute that “turned deadly” and it is being investigated as a quadruple murder-suicide.
“At this time, it is believed there are no other persons involved,” Uniontown police said in a statement.
The victims were identified as Jason Dunham, 46, Melissa Dunham, 42, Renee Dunham, 15, Amber Dunham, 12, and nine-year-old Evan Dunham.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office are helping Uniontown police with the investigation. Police have not yet named who they believe is responsible.
In a statement, Lake Local Superintendent Kevin Tobin said the three children who died were a ninth grader and a seventh grader, both girls, and a boy in 3rd grade.
Mr Tobin told the Canton Repository that counseling services were being made available for affected staff and students.
The ninth grader, believed to be Renee, was due to play in the school band at an away football game on Friday, Mr Tobin told the news site.
“It’s a very, very tragic incident and we will just rally as a school community and as Lake Local community,” Mr Tobin said.
A neighbour told the Canton Repository that the couple had moved into their home 18 years ago, and they had been friendly neighbours.
No further information was immediately available.
Lake Township is a town of approximately 30,000 residents, situated 50 miles south of Cleveland.
