7 People Including 3 Children Found Dead

7 People Including 3 Children Found Dead

Police are investigating after finding seven people dead inside a home during a welfare check. The bodies showed no visible signs of trauma.

Just before 8 p.m. on December 18th, the Moorhead Police Department and Moorhead Fire Department were called to a home on the 4400 block of 13th Street South.

Upon entering the home, they discovered four adults and three children, all of whom were dead, according to a press release.

The deceased have since been identified by authorities as Belin Hernandez, 37; Marleny Pinto, 34; Breylin Hernandez, 16; Mike Hernandez, 7; Marbely Hernandez, 5; Eldor Hernandez Castillo, 32; Mariela Guzman Pinto, 19.

Police were called to the location by family members to perform a welfare check out of concern for the people living in the home.

There were no signs of violence or forced entry into the home. The cause of the deaths is still under investigation by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“The preliminary autopsy has ruled out any obvious trauma as the cause of death; however, the blood samples from the victims have been transported to a lab for further investigatory examination, and we do not have any timeline on those results,” the police said in a post on Facebook.

The three children attended schools in the area, and administrators were notified of the deaths in order “to help prepare for student assistance regarding this tragic loss,” according to police.

Neighbors told the local newspaper, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, that the family had lived in the neighborhood for years and were quiet and friendly, but mentioned that the children did spend a lot of time playing outside.

“In your mind it’s never going to go away,” Mel Kachuol said, referring to the shock. “You are going to drive by, and they aren’t going to be outside anymore.”

According to the press release, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Crime Scene Team has joined the investigation to help process the scene.

Police have said that there is no known threat to the public at this time.

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