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In a heart-wrenching incident, a mother from California stands accused of taking the lives of her husband, their toddler, and their newborn, before turning the gun on herself. This devastating event has been described by their family as an “unimaginable tragedy.”
“In an instant,” the grieving family expressed in an online fundraising campaign, “we lost a whole young family, cherished deeply by everyone who had the privilege of knowing them.”
Authorities from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a distressing call on May 27 at approximately 7:50 p.m. The call reported a shooting at the North Hills residence of 30-year-old Marine Basmajian and her 31-year-old husband, Khajag Basmajian, as reported by People.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the lifeless bodies of the couple along with their two children—Alec, a 2-year-old, and Ella, just six days old.
Officer Rosario Cervantes of the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to the media that the tragic occurrence is being treated as a murder-suicide.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office—who confirmed the identities of the victims—Khajag was killed by a gunshot wound to the head in a homicide, while Marine died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The two children also suffered gunshot wounds to the head.
Although police have not released a motive, the family’s neighbor Karen Banuelos told The Los Angeles Times that the family has suggested postpartum depression may have played a role in the killings.
“It’s so depressing, it’s so devastating for everyone. Postpartum [depression] is real,” she said. “To get possessed to do that? It’s just, there’s no words.”
Khajag was described in the online fundraiser as “a devoted husband, loving father, cherished son, brother, and friend.”
“To know him is to love him,” the family wrote. “With a beaming smile on his face and a positive outlook on life, he was truly a friend you could count on.”
Meanwhile, Marine was described as a “caring mother and wife who found comfort in organization and enjoyed gatherings among her loved ones.”
The couple’s young son Alec “brought joy and laughter wherever he went,” the family said.
“With his bright smile and cheerful eyes taking after his father, he loved his toy vehicles and getting a taste for life one bite at a time (ice cream was his favorite),” they continued. “Alec couldn’t wait to meet his baby sister Ella who only lived to see the world Earth side for 6 days.”
Neighbor Undreal Turner described the deaths to ABC 7 as “shocking.”
“It’s sad. Four people lost their lives today,” Turner said. “We really need to hone in on our moms, and even dads, just to make sure, in the neighborhood, people that you know, that they’re OK. Do they need any help? Do they need any assistance? Do they need any support?”
The police investigation into the four deaths remains ongoing.