Kassandra Sweeney: Everything we know about deaths of mother and two sons found shot at New Hampshire home
Minor arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A juvenile has been arrested and charged in connection to the murder of Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her two young sons who were found shot dead at their family home in Northfield, New Hampshire.
The body of Sweeney was discovered alongside her four-year-old son Benjamin and one-year-old son Mason at their house in Northfield on 3 August by police responding to a 911 call.
Autopsies revealed that each victim died from a single gunshot wound, with all three deaths ruled as homicides.
On Thursday, police confirmed the arrest of the juvenile who has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Meanwhile, husband and father Sean Sweeney spoke out against his “name being dragged through the mud”.
Here’s what we know so far:
Police arrest of juvenile
The suspect has been arrested on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of falsifying physical evidence in the case and will be tried under the juvenile system.
Investigators did not reveal the identity or age of the suspect citing legal restrictions on sharing information on children who are charged with crimes.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward said: “We don’t anticipate any other charges coming.
“Like I said, we believe – and we believed last week – that we had identified all individuals involved.”
No additional information on a possible motive or the accused’s connection with the family has been shared yet.
Investigation ‘very active and ongoing’
Authorities were dispatched to the Sweeney family home just after 11.30am on 3 August after a 911 call was placed.
It remains unclear who called 911 or why.
In a statement to The Independent on Tuesday morning before the arrest was confirmed, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said: “Our investigation remains very active and ongoing.”
“We have identified all parties involved and have determined that there is no threat to the general public.”
Mr Formella also said that Sean Sweeney, the husband of Kassandra and father of the boys, is working with authorities.
“Mr Sweeney is grieving; fully cooperating with our investigators; and he is receiving services from our Victim Witness Advocates,” he said.
On Saturday, authorities had conducted a search in areas in Northfield and Tilton as part of the investigation.
Officials said that the search was for physical evidence and was not the result of new information, as they urged the public to stay away from the areas.
Father speaks out
On Sunday, Mr Sweeney spoke out publicly for the first time about the case in a Facebook post where he said that he was “unable to confirm anything as to what happened and who is responsible”.
Paying tribute to his “beautiful wife”, he said that “things will never be ‘normal’ again” following the deaths of his loved ones.
“I wanted to thank everyone for the outreach and support, while things will never be ‘normal’ again my body finally shut down and let me get some sleep last night and I woke up feeling as ‘normal’ as possible,” he wrote.
“Thank you to everyone who has spent the last few days ensuring that the random idiots online are properly informed and while I still am unable to confirm anything as to what happened and who is responsible I’m beyond words to those who just know better and are stopping my name from being dragged through the mud and for making sure the rest of the world knows that my beautiful wife was the most amazing, caring, sweetest all around good person that anyone could ever meet and just how much she loved our boys.
“It is our job now to keep their memories alive.. Kassandra Rae Sweeney, Benjamin Michael Sweeney, Mason Lee Sweeney.”
He continued: “They will be forever loved and missed and forever in my heart I hope that goes for each and every other person who reads my ramblings.”
Mr Sweeney closed out the message by thanking people for their support.
“Thanks again to everyone the love and support I have gotten from you has truly been what has kept me going I know I havent answered many of you but I am seeing it and I am very greatful [sic],” he wrote.
GoFundMe campaign set up for victims
A GoFundMe launched to help with memorial services had reached more than $42,000 by Tuesday morning.
In the description, organiser Alizabeth Dawson wrote: “My cousin Kassandra, one of the most genuine and beautiful people you could ever meet, and her two beautiful baby boys were taken from us.
“Our family is beyond devastated.”