TERRYTOWN, La. — Authorities say a suspect is in custody after three people, including two children, were found murdered inside a Jefferson Parish home Wednesday morning. Two other children were also taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a home in the 900 block of Monterey Court in Terrytown, La. around 7 a.m. for "medical assistance." When they got to the home they found a woman and two children dead inside.
Jefferson Parish Joe Lopinto said all of the deceased victims suffered blunt force trauma injuries. An exact cause of death will be released after an autopsy is performed, which is expected Thursday.
Lopinto did not release the name of the suspect, but did say the suspect confessed and faces a first degree murder charge. He said that all of the victims in the home were related to the woman who died in the home.
"With children being the victims, it always makes it worse," JPSO Cpt. Jason Rivarde said.
Emmett Rhodes, who identified himself as the children's grandfather, told Eyewitness News that the three children were 8, 9 and 10 years old. JPSO could not confirm the ages of the victims, however the coroner's office told WWL-TV the two children who died were eight and ten years old. The woman who died was 35 years old.
Rhodes also said that his daughter and his granddaughter were at the hospital.
"Everybody knew them and everybody loved them," Rhodes said. He added that he saw his grandchildren Tuesday night after the Mardi Gras parades and had planned to ride horses with them Wednesday.
"For this to happen, I just can’t believe this. This hurts me," Rhodes said.
Willie Tyson, a friend of the family who has been living in the neighborhood for eight years, said she would let her grandchildren play with the children and described them as a "good family."
"Well only thing they can do is pray and ask God to give them the strength, and if they need us then we all going to be here for them, as a community," Tyson said.
Tyson also said the neighborhood is "family-oriented."
"This is all family, everything you see is family. Every house got kids in them," Tyson said.
JPSO deputies ask anyone who may have information about the incident to call JPSO homicide investigations bureau at 504-364-5300 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.
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Stay with Eyewitness News on WWL-TV and WWLTV.com for more on this developing story.