Autopsy Results Released After Mother, 2 Children Found Dead Inside Lake in The Hills Home

A mother and her two children were found dead inside a townhome in Lake in the Hills Tuesday afternoon after what authorities believe may have been a murder-suicide.

Just before 3 p.m., police responded to a call reporting an unresponsive person inside a residence in the northwest suburb on the 2300 block of Daybreak Drive.

Upon arrival, Lake in the Hills police and Huntley Fire Department crews discovered three bodies inside the home, police said. The McHenry County Coroner identified the three victims Wednesday morning to be Carla Lopez-Mejia, 27, her 11-year-old son Ezequiel Garcia, and her 8-year-old daughter, Ariana Garcia, police said.

Preliminary investigation suggest the deaths were a murder-suicide and an isolated incident, police said.

The McHenry County Coroner's office said autopsies performed Wednesday afternoon found the two children died from asphyxia due to ligature strangulation. The mother died of asphyxia due to a ligature hanging, the coroner said. 

The final matter of death won't be determined until after the investigation is complete, the coroner said. Toxicology results were pending. 

District 158 Superintendent John Burkey said both children attended schools in the district.

Ezequiel was a sixth grade student at Marlowe Middle School and Ariana a third grade student at Martin Elementary School. 

"We offer our condolences to all who were connected to this family and to the entire school community," Burkey said in a statement. "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."

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