Two children under the age of 6 have died after being discovered unconscious at their home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, according to police.
Their mother, who had reportedly attempted suicide, was also found at the property, along with an 8-month-old boy. The woman and baby are being treated in hospital, reported Boston channel WCVB5.
In a press conference late on Tuesday, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said: “At approximately 6:11 p.m. tonight, Duxbury police received a 911 call from a male resident at 47 Summer Street.
“He arrived home and reported the attempted suicide of the adult female resident.”
Police have not specified what relationship the man has with the female resident, but have confirmed that she is the mother of all three children.
Cruz went on: “Upon arrival, Duxbury police and fire located the woman. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment where she currently remains.
“First responders subsequently located three children … unconscious with obvious signs of trauma. A 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy were transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased.
“An 8-month-old infant boy was flown to a Boston hospital where he remains at this time and is receiving treatment.” Duxbury is a coastal town about 35 miles from Boston.
The authorities did not comment on whether the woman is a suspect in the deaths of the 5-year-old girl and the 3-year-old boy.
Cruz said: “We are still in the process of notifying next of kin and no identification is coming out at this point. It’s an ongoing investigation and we will see where that leads us.
“We’re in the process right now of getting information regarding our search warrants, making sure we do everything we need to do to get into the house lawfully to make the determinations that we have to make.”
The DA added: “This is an unimaginable senseless tragedy and it is an ongoing investigation. One thing we do want people to understand in the Duxbury area is that this is not something that happened randomly.
“People should remain to believe they are safe in their homes and on the streets.”
Michael Carbone, chief of police in Duxbury, added: “This is an isolated incident and there is no further threat to the community.”
Newsweek has contacted the Duxbury Police Department for comment.
If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours every day.
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