A family in Kenya is mourning the death of their 49-year-old daughter, Mary Njoki Muchemi, who was killed by her husband alongside her two children in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, in what police suspect to be a murder-suicide.
According to media reports, 60-year-old American citizen Gary Stanton, shot his wife and daughters, Andrianna Stanton (17) and Brianna Stanton (11) inside their house in the Valley Station neighbourhood.
Information from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) shows that Mr Stanton was the aggressor, shooting his family dead, before turning the gun on himself.
Mary Njoki and her eldest daughter Andrianna were shot multiple times while Brianna, the youngest, was shot once.
The incident took place just six days after the family celebrated Mary Njoki’s 49th birthday.
Mr Stanton died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“We feel pretty confident that the incident is going to be a murder-suicide situation where the adult male was the primary aggressor who shot the three females,” LMPD Maj. Micah Scheu said on Saturday.
Adding: “Any time lives are lost, anytime there are juveniles involved obviously it’s very difficult. Many of our officers are fathers and mothers as well. It’s difficult to see anything like this.”
Sources quoted by US media said the Stantons were ‘a normal traditional family within the neighbourhood.’
Life Church Louisville Lead pastor Patrick Bissig noted that his church had interacted with the family multiple times before, but they were never close.
“We saw them on holidays: Christmas, New Year’s, Easter. From the outside looking in, it looked like your traditional happy family,” he added.
Mary Njoki was in Kenya just a few weeks ago to attend her father’s funeral.
Photos shared online show that her husband, Mr Santon, as well as their two children, attended the event.
Until the time of their heartbreaking death, Adrianna Stanton was a student at DuPont Manual High School and Brianna Stanton was a student at Noe Middle School, according to Carolyn Callahan with Jefferson County Public Schools.
Authorities say mental health professionals and the district crisis team will be available at both schools for students and staff.
