A Pennsylvania mother and daughter duo are facing charges of murder after a maintenance worker discovered the bodies of five of their family members in their Bucks County apartment on Monday.
Three of those who were allegedly killed by the mom, 45-year-old Shana Decree, and her daughter, 19-year-old Dominique Decree, were children.
According to WPVI, those killed include Shana’s children, 25-year-old Naa’Irah Smith, and 13-year-old Damon Decree Jr.; Shana’s sister, 42-year-old Jamilla Campbell; and Campbell’s two children, 9-year-old twins Imani and Erika Allen.
The accused killers were also found inside the apartment and appeared “disoriented,” according to the police affidavit.
They were taken to the hospital where they both told police their family was killed by one of the victim’s boyfriends and two unknown men.
However, their story quickly changed.
HEARTBREAKING: Authorities say a mother and daughter have confessed to their involvement in the murders of five family…
Posted by 6abc Action News on Tuesday, February 26, 2019
The mother later told police that the five family members wanted to die by suicide and admitted to killing them. The affidavit read:
Shana later told police that everyone at the apartment, including the nine-year-old and thirteen-year-old, wanted to die. Shana advised that all, including the children, were talking about suicide.
Police Chief George McClay said that wouldn’t matter even if it was true. He told WPVI:
“Two 9-year-olds can’t make that decision and a 13-year-old. So is that something in the adult’s mind? I don’t know but surely not in the 9-year-old’s mind.”
Another family member, Campbell’s 17-year-old son, was not home at the time of the killings but said his aunt and cousin had been acting strangely, according to the New York Post.
McClay said the teen had initially believed the accused killers’ ramblings before they allegedly killed his family:
“He was drinking the Kool-Aid, too.”
The teen eventually left to go stay with friends in New Jersey after he became fed up, but “said in no way did he ever think that they would ever hurt the children, or he would have never left.”
The mom and daughter have since each been charged with five counts of murder and one count of conspiracy.
They may be brought up on more charges, said police.