Toddler found alive after mother kills 2 children, husband in New Hampshire murder suicide: police

( Post Millennial )

A mother shot three family members dead as well as herself in their Madbury, New Hampshire home on Monday, in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide. A toddler was the sole survivor.

Upon arrival, troopers discovered the dead bodies of Emily Long, 34; Ryan Long, 48; son Parker Long, 8; and daughter Ryan Long, 6. A third child, a toddler aged 3, was found alive and without any physical injuries.

Mother Emily Long shot her husband as well as her two eldest children before turning the gun on herself, according to authorities. The deceased family members sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene.  

"It was shocking," neighbor Bevy Katel told CBS affiliate WBZ-TV. "It was a perfect family as far as we knew. Ryan certainly touched a lot of lives. He was part of the fabric of the community, and his family goes along with it...It's just shocking. We didn't see it coming."

The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, with autopsies scheduled for Wednesday to ascertain the cause, manner, and sequence of the deaths. Investigators also found a gun near the dead bodies of the family members.

Just days prior, Emily had posted on TikTok about her family's struggles navigating her husband's brain cancer diagnosis. Ryan was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that often comes with a six-month death sentence, and roughly 80 videos on Emily's TikTok page are dedicated to Ryan's journey and her own battles with depression.

On May 11, Emily uploaded a video with the caption: "Want to watch someone actually fall apart before your very eyes? I swear, this cancer will be the thing that breaks me."

Three days before the murders, Emily shared another video, stating that she was in a "rut" and needed to make changes to get herself out of it. "I put makeup on and real clothes for the first time in God only knows how long. I'm trying to get myself out of this rut. I know I've said this before, but our kids are definitely struggling," said Emily, according to the video.

Ryan Long was a licensed school psychologist and board-certified behavioral analyst who had worked for nine years at Oyster River Middle School. He has also served as a part-time adjunct instructor in graduate programs at Plymouth State University since 2022. Emily Long most recently served as Director of Operations at Wing-itz Restaurant Group.

"One of the biggest questions they have right now is motive, why? And I think that's probably one of the more difficult things that they are trying to grasp to understand," NH Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati told WCAX.

The surviving toddler has been placed in the care of extended family members.