While Boston remains shocked over the deaths of a mother and her two young children who were found unconscious on a sidewalk Christmas Day, authorities have revealed more heartbreaking details about the tragedy.
Questions are still swirling around the tragic fatalities and police continue to investigate the deaths, here’s what we know so far:
The victims
The trio was confirmed as mother and children on Thursday by Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins. The DA identified the deceased as West Roxbury residents 40-year-old Erin Pascal, 4-year-old Allison and 1-year-old Andrew,
"This entire family, in a matter of minutes -- aside from the father who survives them -- is gone," she said.
Their deaths are being investigated as a double-murder suicide.
The scene
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Northeastern University warned the public that there was heavy police presence in their Renaissance Park Garage near the MBTA Ruggles station and warned everyone to stay away from the area.
Aerial footage from NBC10 Boston’s SkyRanger Helicopter showed an SUV on the top floor of the parking structure with three doors open. The vehicle was blocked off with police tape and the investigation seemed to have centered around the vehicle.
Rollins said two car seats were found in the SUV. It is unclear how the vehicle is involved in the tragedy
The response
The family was rushed to an area hospital where they were pronounced “non-viable,” according to Boston Police Commissioner William Gross.
In response to the tragedy, Northeastern University announced it is closing the top two levels of its eight-story parking structure “until a permanent solution is implemented.” Security presence will also monitor the garage 24/7 in wake of the deaths.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh expressed his condolences in a Tweet, calling the deaths a “horrible tragedy for this family on this Christmas Day.”
Rollins said the fatalities were difficult to digest as a mother and Gross agreed in calling the scene a “tragedy.”
The parking structure
The garage is the same parking structure involved in two suicides this year.
One was on Dec. 9 and the other on May 20, when 22-year-old Boston College student Alexander Urtula jumped to his death. His girlfriend, Korean national Inyoung You, is facing an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection to Urtula's death.
After the Dec. 9 death, Rollins said she reached out to Northeastern University in hopes that the latest incident would cause the school to take action.
Help offered
People who may have witnessed the deaths and emergency responders who responded to the scene are encouraged to reach out for help. Trauma response teams are available to help them cope at 617-431-0125.
SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: Here is information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health. If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.
