Father Of Children Killed In LITH Murder-Suicide Speaks Out

The father of the two young children killed by their mother, whom authorities believe then hanged herself, said his family had “no dark secrets or anything like that.”

Luis Garcia told the Daily Herald he and his wife, Carla M. Lopez-Mejia, had been separated for about seven months. But, he said, their children, Ezequiel “Izzy,” 11, and Ariana, 8, were happy and Carla and he had a “good working relationship.” Garcia said they were focused on making sure their children were well cared for and had the best chances to succeed.

Authorities believe Ezequiel and Ariana died of strangulation, and Lopez-Mejia, 27, hanged herself in their Lake in the Hills townhome this past week. Preliminary findings at the scene of the crime in the 2300 block of Daybreak Drive show the deaths were a murder-suicide, according to the coroner's office.

Police found the bodies just before 3 p.m. Tuesday when they were called to the residence in the 2300 block of Daybreak Drive for a report of an unresponsive subject. Lopez-Mejia’s body was found on the first floor of the home, while both her son and daughter’s bodies were found on the second floor, police said.

• Mom Hanged Herself, Children Were Strangled in LITH Murder-Suicide

The coroner’s office has yet to rule on the final manner of death.

Luis Garcia’s brother, Adam Garcia of Huntley, set up a GoFundMe page on Thursday to cover the burial and funeral expenses for his brother’s family. The fund-raising page had already raised more than $8,000 as of late Thurday afternoon.

Ezequiel, a sixth grade student at Marlowe Middle School, loved video games and to build things, Adam Garcia wrote on the GoFundMe page. And Ariana, a third grade student at Martin Elementary School, was passionate about animals.

They both loved their dog, Gumball, and were always playing with him.

Adam Garcia said the children were his “brother’s life and joy.”

“Our family is going to miss their endless love for life,” he added.

Funeral arrangements are still pending.

Neighbors living in the Coventry subdivision, a nice neighborhood in Lake in the Hills near Marlowe Middle School, are shocked.

Neighbors said Ezequiel and Ariana Garcia were always playing outside and were remembered as sweet children, according to the Northwest Herald.

Jennifer Goodrich, who lives next door to the home on Daybreak Drive, told the Northwest Herald her daughters played with the siblings. They rode their bikes, played school and loved their dogs, she said.

“You don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives,” Goodrich told the Northwest Herald. “… I feel bad for them.”

Monica Brown, who also lives in the neighborhood, told CBS Chicago the mother seemed depressed in recent weeks.

“I just always saw her sad. These last few weeks, I saw her sad, and when I went over there on New Year’s – because I needed to grab a safety pin for my New Year’s dress – the little daughter answered the door, and the mom was like, ‘Tell her, no, we don’t have any,’ and I’m like, ‘Alright, happy holidays, guys,’ and that was actually the last time I seen or talked to the mom,” Brown told the TV station.

Authorities said the deaths are an "isolated incident," and there is no threat to the community.

John Burkey, superintendent of schools for District 158, issued the following statement Wednesday:

We offer our condolences to all who were connected to this family and to the entire school community. This terrible tragedy has affected all of us in the Huntley 158 family, and the grief that accompanies news such as this will take time to process as students, staff, and the community all attempt to come to terms with it. The District has brought together counseling and bereavement support services resources from all of our schools to be available for students and staff.
Students have been encouraged to come to any staff member to express their feelings and ask questions. Staff members may share known facts about the incident in response to student questions. However, for details about the incident, individuals should contact the Lake in the Hills Police Department for official information.
Students will respond to this tragedy in different ways, and it is important for both schools and families to support them. Any reaction is normal in the grieving process and can range from withdrawal to crying to anger. It’s important for us as adults to listen carefully to our children and help them through their reactions and feelings regarding this tragedy.
If children are struggling with this news, or if families are seeking guidance on how to discuss this loss with your child, please call your school to be put in touch with the appropriate resources.


Photos courtsey of GoFundMe