Eight members of a family, including six children, were discovered dead inside their home in Grand Haven Township, Michigan, after a house fire that police are treating as a possible murder-suicide.
Amanda 'Mandy' Karolkiewicz, 39, her husband Kristopher, 47, and their six children, aged five to 15, were found at around noon on Friday. Mandy's family confirmed their identities.
Investigation ongoing
Capt. Jacob Sparks of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said in a press conference on Saturday that police have not yet formally identified all the victims and do not have an official cause of death. Some of the victims had gunshot wounds, NBC reports.
The incident is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide, and officers are not looking for any outside suspects, Sparks said.
Family tributes
Mandy's sister, Molly Cessna, wrote on Facebook: "My little sister Mandy, her husband, and my six nieces and nephews. Everything's just blurry. Please continue to pray, friends. please continue to pray as we try and piece everything together. Our hearts are utterly shattered. Tragic doesn't even touch it."
Mandy's parents, Steve and Becky Lawwill, shared a family photo on social media with a short tribute: "So grateful for the joy they brought into our life. We are just so shattered."
Community response
Mandy worked as a substitute teacher at Grand Haven Area Public Schools. The district said in a review posted in January that she "goes above and beyond" for students at Peach Plains Elementary School. Superintendent Kristin Perowski said support and mental health resources would be offered to the school community.
Kristopher's Facebook post from 2019 included a caption alongside a photo of the couple: "Going on 10 years with this pretty lady. I'm a very lucky guy."
Fire details
Capt. Jacob Sparks described the scene as "complicated" and said the fire was "suspicious" with reason to believe it was intentionally set. Firefighters responded after a smell of smoke was reported between 8:30am and 9am. The investigation remains ongoing.
