two children dead in suspected murder-suicide, police investigating two other scenes
3 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
ottawa police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide after two boys were found dead inside a home in findlay creek, and their father was found dead, roughly 45 kilometres away in kemptville.
police said officers were called to a home on mandevilla crescent in south ottawa for a wellness check at about 10 a.m. on monday. two boys, ages seven and 12, were found deceased.
the children’s names were not released as police are notifying the next of kin.
the boys’ father was found dead in a vehicle fire reported shortly after 5:30 a.m. at the highway 416 and rideau river road carpool lot in kemptville.
the children’s parents were divorced, and the two boys lived with their father at the home where they were found, said ottawa police supt. jamie dunlop at a press conference.
dunlop said there are other children in the family, but they are safe and not believed to be at risk. police are in communication with the children’s mother.
“from the evidence found within the house, it was clear to say it was homicide,” dunlop said.
police could not confirm the chronology of the events in the three locations, saying the investigation is in its infancy stages.
officers were called to the house after a “third party” requested a wellness check when no one answered the door. police say the third party was not the mother.
when asked by a journalist whether the father was known to the police, dunlop said: “no, the father did not have great contacts with the police, as many people do, there were certainly some dealings, but not typically when we say known to the police what that entails.”
***
in kemptville, just before 4 p.m. monday, police rolled a grey burnt-out suv perched on a flatbed truck from the isolated carpool lot at rideau river road and highway 416. the windshield of the vehicle on the driver’s side was caked in what appeared to be fire retardant while a used red fire extinguisher was left standing nearby. a cement path from the carpool leads to a granite monument labelled veterans commemorative park, canadian armed forces. a dog that appeared to be with a police officer was roaming off-leash through the adjacent grass.
advertisement
***
the ontario provincial police are also holding another scene connected to the investigation after a business fire in the community of iroquois, ont., about 45 kilometres southeast of where the father was found in kemptville.
police, fire fighters and enbridge personnel remained at the scene at the burnt-out husk of road 2 dentistry on county road 2 at 5 p.m. monday.
fire at road 2 dentistry on county road 2.
nicholas kohler
/
postmedia
windows, including a large one at the side of the building, appeared to have been blown out by a blast of some force, and bricks were piled up in front of the dental practice’s entrance, likely from the structure’s damaged facade.
yellow police tape extended for some distance in front of the long building until people from a neighbouring business who had been consulting with authorities emerged to move it and allow access to their door.
“we’re not used to this out here,” said man who was following the scene from a strip-mall across the road.
***
in findlay creek on monday afternoon, police tape surrounded the last two townhouses on the corner of mandevilla crescent, and also blocked off a walking path running parallel to leitrim road.
a man in white forensic coveralls and a white face mask came back and forth between the residence and a white van parked in front of the driveway.
desire omofomo, who lives down the street from the taped off residence, said he came home from work to find police cars all over the street. he found out what happened after talking to his next door neighbour.
“it didn’t feel real to be so close to home,” said omofomo, who has been living on mandevilla crescent for about two years.
“it’s confusing and saddening.”
jamie kingsbury, who also lives in the area, said the fast-growing findlay creek neighbourhood is generally very safe for him and his kids.
“it hit home because i’ve got my own kids,” he said. “it’s heartbreaking.”
advertisement
police said the investigation is “ongoing and complex”. the homicide unit is working with the opp to determine the connections between the deaths, the vehicle fire and the business fire.
police do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public.
with files from peter hum
share story
