A Michigan couple and their six children were found dead inside their home following a suspicious fire, as investigators examine whether the tragedy may have been a murder-suicide.
Amanda “Mandy” Karolkiewicz, 39, her husband, Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47, and their six children, ranging in age from 5 to 15, were found inside the family’s Grand Haven Township home around noon Friday, according to relatives.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and the county medical examiner had not yet officially confirmed the victims’ identities.
Authorities said some of those found inside the home had suffered gunshot wounds, though they did not disclose how many people had been shot or identify the victims.
Investigators are considering the possibility that the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide, but officials cautioned that it was still too early to reach a final conclusion.
Police are not searching for any suspects outside the household, according to NBC.
Amanda’s sister, Molly Cessna, appeared to confirm the identities of the family members in a heartbreaking Facebook post.
“My little sister Mandy, her husband, and my six nieces and nephews,” she wrote alongside an article about the deaths.
“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.”
Amanda’s parents, Steve and Becky Lawwill, also shared a family photo taken on a beach as they mourned the devastating loss.
“So grateful for the joy they brought into our life. We are just so shattered,” they wrote.
Amanda was a substitute teacher for Grand Haven Area Public Schools and was remembered as a dedicated educator.
In January, the district praised her work at Peach Plains Elementary School, writing on Facebook that she regularly “goes above and beyond” for students.
Superintendent Kristin Perowski released a statement Friday evening acknowledging the tragedy and offering support and mental health resources to members of the school community.
Amanda and Kristopher had reportedly been together for approximately 16 years.
In a 2019 Facebook post, Kristopher shared a photo with his wife and wrote, “Going on 10 years with this pretty lady. I’m a very lucky guy.”
Amanda’s parents declined to comment further while waiting for additional information from the medical examiner’s office.
Capt. Jacob Sparks of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office described the scene as “complicated” during a news conference.
Firefighters had been in the area earlier Friday morning after residents reported smelling smoke sometime between 8:30 and 9 a.m., according to Fox News. Crews were unable to locate the source at that time.
The family was discovered several hours later.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine how the fire started, the exact causes of death and what unfolded inside the home.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
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