'Distraught' dad finds baby, teen daughter dead in garage; police say mom is a suspect

The girls were found dead in the garage of their California home on Tuesday.

August 21, 2019, 1:25 PM

A "distraught" dad came home to find his 4-month-old daughter and 14-year-old daughter dead in their California home, and their mother alive but unresponsive.

No charges have been filed, but Ontario, California, police Sgt. Bill Russell said at a news conference on Wednesday that police are looking at the mother as the person "responsible."

The mother, who has not been identified, allegedly left suicide notes -- one in the house and one in the car -- saying she intended to kill the children and herself, Russell said. He did not elaborate on what the notes said.

PHOTO:An Ontario Police officer interviews a neighbor sitting in his garage next door to a home where two children, an infant and a teenager, were found dead with their mother, who was unresponsive, Aug. 20, 2019, in Ontario, Calif.
An Ontario Police officer interviews a neighbor sitting in his garage next door to a home where two children, an infant and a teenager, were found dead with their mother, who was unresponsive, Aug. 20, 2019, in Ontario, Calif.
Terry Pierson/The Orange County Register via AP

The gruesome discovery was made on Tuesday, prompting the father to call police, Russell said. Ontario is about 40 miles east of Los Angeles.

The mother was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition, but has not been able to provide a statement to police, Russell said.

Russell said the children's father was never detained and gave a voluntary statement to police. The last time he saw his two children alive was when he let for work that morning, Russell said.

PHOTO: Ontario Police stand outside the scene where two children, an infant and a teenager, were found dead with their mother, who was unresponsive, at a home, Aug. 20, 2019, in Ontario, Calif.
Ontario Police stand outside the scene where two children, an infant and a teenager, were found dead with their mother, who was unresponsive, at a home, Aug. 20, 2019, in Ontario, Calif.
Terry Pierson/AP

"He's lost everything at this point," Russell said of the father, calling the case a "horrible tragedy."

While the girls' cause of death has not been determined, police have called their deaths a double homicide. There was a struggle at the scene which may have played a factor in the deaths, Russell said.

Russell said "the mother was dealing with depression" but he did not elaborate or say if she was being treated.