Four people found dead inside a Doral home on Tuesday night are believed to have been the victims of a murder-suicide, according to an update from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said that Doral police officers were called to a home in the area of Northwest 111 Court and Northwest 72nd Terrace just after 7:30 p.m. to perform a welfare check.
Four people, including two minors, were found dead inside a Doral home on Tuesday night, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
When police arrived, the MDSO said that officers entered the home and found four people – two adults and two children – unresponsive.
Members of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at the scene and pronounced all four people dead.
The adults were identified as 46-year-old Melanie Lauren Hyer and 42-year-old Ryan Charles Whiten. The children were identified as an 11-year-old girl and an 8-year-old girl.
CBS News Miami spoke with Doral Mayor Christi Fraga, who knew Hyer and said, “She was a beacon of light and was always eager to help out at her school. Any loss of life is difficult to accept, particularly in moments where there are 2 young girls involved, and I knew their mother. This is hard to accept in a community that is so close.”
She said, “This is a reminder to all of us about the importance of speaking up when there are mental health issues and potentially domestic violence issues because we have so many resources, and there is a reminder that you are not alone and we are here to help.
The two girls were students of Downtown Doral Charter Schools, who released a statement to CBS News Miami about the children’s deaths.
It reads: “Our community is mourning the loss of two of our beloved students. Our heartfelt sympathies are with their families, friends, faculty, and staff at our schools. These students will be deeply missed.”
The school then says they will be helping students and staff with their grief, saying, “To support our students and staff, the school has arranged to have grief counselors on campus and will continue to provide support as needed. We encourage parents to talk openly with their children and closely monitor their well-being. Parents with any concerns or in need of additional support should contact the school.”
CBS News Miami also spoke with Gloria Caldas, who has a granddaughter at the charter school. She told us that she was heartbroken to hear the news.
“I am sad. I am definitely very sad,” Caldas said. “It is horrible that the lives of a mother and father ended this way. I don’t know why they decided to do that, but what really hurts is the children.”
Caldas continued, “The message is if you feel bad or if you feel depressed in some way or ruined, there’s always a solution. There’s always a way out, especially when you have kids.”
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the preliminary investigation showed that all of the victims sustained stab wounds.
The investigation is ongoing, and no other information has been released.