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On Sunday, April 5, a man, his wife, and 12-year-old daughter were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in their West Fourth Street home in Mount Vernon. This week, on Thursday, April 16, New York State Police investigated a second apparent murder-suicide in North Salem involving a husband and wife.
Both incidents are still under investigation.
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., said that “while none of us know exactly what precipitated these five horrendous deaths, we urge everyone to be aware of friends and family members who may be under extreme stress at this time.”
“Since the start of the COVID19 outbreak, we have been concerned with a possible increase in domestic violence as people are confined to their homes without the normal routines of going to work and school, and with the added burden of a damaging financial downturn, business interruption and job losses,” Scarpino said.
“While we have not seen a higher number of domestic violence reports or arrests in Westchester County, we are heartbroken over five deaths in Westchester families in the last two weeks.”
Scarpino said that families and friends should check in by phone or through other means. If calls are unanswered, or a social media presence changes and one is concerned for someone’s safety he said that they should call local police or the District Attorney Office’s Special Prosecutions Division by calling (914) 995-3000.
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