Deaths of 5 people found inside an Ohio home being investigated as a domestic dispute turned bad

LAKE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — Police performing a welfare check at an Ohio home found five people dead inside the residence, including three children.

The bodies were found around 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Lake Township, according to Uniontown police. The names of the victims have not been released, pending notification of relatives.

Authorities said the deaths are being investigated as a domestic dispute that turned deadly, but they declined further comment Friday, citing the ongoing probe. They also declined comment on why the welfare check was requested and who made it.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation was at the home Thursday night to help collect and document evidence. A BCI spokesman referred all questions to Uniontown police, who cover a portion of Lake Township.

Edmond Gadzacko, who lives next door to where the deaths occurred, told The Canton Repository that he and his wife always enjoyed their neighbors and never had any issues with them. He said the three children — two girls and a boy ages 14, 12 and 8, respectively — often played with his grandchildren when they visited.

Lake Local School District Superintendent Kevin Tobin said the children attended district schools. He said the district has mobilized its crisis response team and said counselors would be available for staff and students.

“It’s a very, very tragic incident and we will just rally as a school community and as Lake Local community,” Tobin told the newspaper.