North Andover, MA apparent murder-suicide: Mom, baby dead

A woman is believed to have killed her 9-month-old son, then herself, at a home in North Andover, Massachusetts, police said Tuesday, identifying the two people for the first time.

The woman was identified as Jennifer T. Paez, 35. The baby was Valentino Paez.

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It wasn't immediately clear amid the early stages of the state police investigation why Paez killed her child. Anyone with any information about the incident has been asked to call the North Andover Police Department

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

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"While everyone is, understandably, still struggling to comprehend what went so terribly wrong here, our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Jennifer Paez and her son, Valentino," Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said in a statement. "I would also like to thank the North Andover Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and all those responding for helping this family and this community in the wake of this unimaginable crime."

North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray echoed those sentiments in the statement.

Few details were immediately available on what led to the deaths of two people at a home in North Andover, but neighbors said they were unsettled by the large police presence investigating what happened.

Paez and Valentino were found at a house on Turnpike Street Monday. Details were initially sparse, but investigators said Tuesday that they were went to the home after receiving a 911 call about 5:15 p.m. and found both the mother and the son with wounds, apparently caused by a knife.

The mother was pronounced dead at the home, while Valentino was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m., authorities said.

Residents who live nearby said it was a shock to see it all happening.

The Essex County District Attorney's Office confirmed they are investigating a situation involving two victims at a Turnpike Street house, but declined to provide further details about what happened Monday. Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston

"You're taken aback, coming home from work and all of a sudden [the highway] is shut down," said Tom Anthony, lives nearby.

"It's pretty scary, honestly," said Katrina MacLean, who lives nearby. "It's just a nice community, and stuff like this has been happening more frequently in this area."

Police noted in the early stages of the investigation that it was an isolated incident and that there was no wider threat to the public.