A Florida mother allegedly killed her two children before taking her own life inside their Lakewood Ranch home while her husband was on a business trip, police say. Investigators describe the scene as violent, with no other suspects involved.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media
A Florida mother allegedly killed her two children before taking her own life inside their $1.7 million home in a gated Lakewood Ranch community, authorities said.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman as Monika Rubacha, 44. Her children, Josh James, 14, and Emma James, 11, were found dead Thursday evening after deputies conducted a welfare check at the request of Rubacha’s husband, Richard James, who was on a business trip in South America.
According to sheriff’s office spokesperson Randy Warren, deputies arrived at the residence around 8:30 p.m. after Richard James reported he had been unable to reach his family for at least a day and a half.
“Right away, you could tell something wasn’t right,” Warren said. “There were signs of homicidal violence.”
Investigators said Rubacha killed each child in separate rooms before taking her own life. All three victims suffered what authorities described as “traumatic” injuries. The medical examiner has not yet released official causes of death.
Law enforcement officials confirmed no one else was involved in the incident, which they described as a “violent scene.” Detectives are continuing to examine evidence and reconstruct the sequence of events.
Authorities said the family moved to the upscale community about three years ago, and there had been no prior reported incidents at the address.
“It’s horrible even to imagine what would have been going through the mind of this mother,” Warren told local media.
The tragedy has shaken the quiet neighborhood, underscoring the devastating and often hidden nature of domestic crises.
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