Four People, Including Two Children, Found Dead In West Virginia Home, Juvenile Suspect Charged

KEY POINTS

A man, woman and two children were found dead inside the house
The bodies were first discovered by a relative who went to check on the family as he couldn't contact them on the phone
The deaths reportedly happened from gun-related injuries

A juvenile has been charged with murder after four people, including two children, were found dead in a home in West Virginia.

Deputies with the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call Sunday and found the bodies of a man, woman and two children, approximately 3 and 12 years old, in a home on Cemetery Hill Drive.

All the victims were related and the juvenile, who was found at another location, was also a member of the family, Boston 25 News reported. Police said the identities of the victims will be released later.

In a statement, Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said further information about the accused will not be released as the defendant was a juvenile, local media outlet Metro News reported.

"We received a call around 10.40 am on Sunday. We determined immediately on the deputies’ arrival they were all deceased. We are going through the evidence and conducting the investigation. Relatives of the family have been notified. Right now, it is too early to give any other information. The crime was violent and not a random act," he said.

The deaths reportedly happened from gun-related injuries but police didn't release an exact cause of death.

A relative of the family alerted authorities about the incident, reported Fox News. The relative went to the home to check on them after his phone calls went unanswered. When the caller reached the home, he found the front door unlocked. He went inside and discovered the bodies of three people. He immediately called 911. Police found the body of a fourth victim inside the house.

Neighbors of the deceased family said they were shaken by the gruesome incident.

Samra Mullins, a local resident, said she hadn't heard anything coming from the home. "It's a little nerve-wracking. You don't expect this to be so close to home. Everyone in the community is a little on edge. It's just more stress. You know, we're dealing with the COVID. It's just more bad news," Mullins said, Metro News reported.