Mom Hung Herself, Children Died of Strangulation in Suspected 'Murder-Suicide' in LITH: UPDATE

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office has identified three found dead in a Lake in the Hills townhome Tuesday afternoon as a 27-year-old mother and her two children, ages 8 and 11.

Preliminary findings at the scene of the crime in the 2300 block of Daybreak Drive show the deaths were a murder-suicide, Anne Majewski, coroner for the McHenry County Coroner’s Office, said Wednesday morning in a news release.

The victims have been identified as Carla M. Lopez-Mejia, 27; her son, Ezequiel Garcia, 11; and her daughter, Ariana, 8, Majewski said.

Lopez-Mejia died from asphyxia due to a ligature hanging while both her children died from asphyxia due to ligature strangulation, according to preliminary autopsy findings released by the coroner’s office Wednesday evening. 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.

The coroner’s office has not yet ruled on a final “manner of death” as the deaths remain under investigation.

Police first learned of the deaths 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. It's unclear who made the 911 call but authorities did say it came from outside the home, according to the Daily Herald.

Police also said they did not know where the father of the children was at the time of their deaths, LITH Police Department spokeswoman Amanda Schmitt told the Daily Herald.

Neighbors living in the Coventry subdivision, a nice neighborhood in Lake in the Hills near Marlowe Middle School, are shocked. Ezequiel was a sixth grade student at Marlowe Middle School, and Ariana was a third grade student at Martin Elementary School, according to a statement from District 158.

Neighbors said Ezequiel, who went by the nickname, “Izzy,” 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.

Patch will update with more information as it becomes available.