Lancaster County district attorney Craig Stedman said police are investigating the deaths of a 4-year-old boy, a 10-year-old girl, and their mother in Strasburg Township at a press conference this afternoon.
Stedman said the children were apparently shot in their sleep, and that a firearm was found on the body of the mother, Carola Arnau, 40.
The family dog was also found shot.
The bodies were discovered after a fire call at the family's home on the 1400 block of Village Road. The blaze was detected at about 3:20 a.m.
Stedman said Carola Arnau, and her husband, Miguel, were going through a divorce.
There is no evidence that Miguel Arnau did anything illegal, Stedman said. Miguel Arnau was at work at the time of the incident. Stedman said he was cooperating with police.
The couple's divorce was acrimonious, according to Stedman, who said there was a history of disputes in which police were called. He said there was an escalation over several days leading up to the incident.
Police are looking for information on Carola Arnau's mental state, according to Stedman.
There are autopsies scheduled for tomorrow, Stedman said.
UPDATE: Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, the Lancaster county coroner has confirmed that this case was a double murder-suicide. Carola Arnau died from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head, her 10 year-old daughter died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, and her 4 year-old son died from multiple gunshots to the body.
He says they cannot say whether or not the shots were fired before or after the fires were started.
