What to Know
- A 5-year-old girl and her parents were found dead in a Harlem apartment Wednesday, authorities say
- The parents were going through a divorce proceeding and had been scheduled to appear in court the day they were found dead
- Grieving neighbors also said there had never been any signs of trouble, adding they were stunned by the violence in their neighborhood
A 5-year-old girl and her parents were found dead in a Harlem apartment Wednesday, and law enforcement sources say police are investigating the case as a double murder-suicide.
The three -- little Abaynesh Schlecht Tedla, her 42-year-old mother and 46-year-old father -- were discovered in the West 121st Street home shortly after 9 p.m. after cops responded to a phone call from a family member asking for a wellness check. It was a horrific scene.
The little girl was found in bed with her throat slashed. Her mother, Jennifer Schlecht, was found decapitated in a bathroom. Her father, Yonathan Tedla, was discovered hanging in another bedroom. Authorities believe he killed the two before taking his own life, but the circumstances remain under investigation.
Law enforcement sources familiar with the case tell News 4 the parents were going through a divorce proceeding and had been scheduled to appear in court the day they were found dead.
Those sources tell News 4 there was no history of domestic incidents or 911 calls to the home. Grieving neighbors also said there had never been any signs of trouble, adding they were stunned by the violence in their tight-knit community.
