Dad kills 3 children in murder-suicide in eastern Germany

A 37-year-old man killed his three young children at an apartment building in Saxony state in eastern Germany on Sunday before taking his own life, according to relatives and local officials.

The bodies were found just before 9 p.m. on Sunday at an apartment in Meissen, about 20 km (12 miles) northwest of Dresden. They were identified as a 1-year-old girl, a 2-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy and the 37-year-old father.

“An emergency doctor who was called to the scene could only confirm their deaths,” police said in a statement on Monday.

A police spokesman told local media that there was no indication of third-party involvement, suggesting that the father had killed his children before taking his own life. The cause of death was not immediately released.

The grandmother of the children told local newspaper Sächsische Zeitung that the father was suffering from mental health problems, and that the mother had repeatedly tried to keep the children away from him.

“The children shouldn’t have been with their father,” the grandmother told the newspaper. Broadcaster MDR, citing neighbors, said the suspect had recently expressed suicidal thoughts.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis related to suicide, mental health or substance use, call or text the U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 to speak with a counselor in your area. If you’re in Germany, call 0800/1110111 or visit the German Society for Suicide Prevention’s website. In the UK, call the Samaritans at 116123.