Authorities have determined the causes and manners of death for an Indiana mother and her three daughters, whose bodies were discovered in their Wolcottville home in September.
According to Noble County Coroner Lisa Strebig, 32-year-old Rebecca Hughes died by suicide, while the deaths of her three daughters—8-year-old Evalynn Newell, 6-year-old Allison Newell, and 5-year-old Amelia Newell—were classified as homicides. The cause of death for all four individuals was gas asphyxiation.
Police were dispatched to the residence on September 17 for a welfare check and found Hughes and her daughters deceased. The circumstances leading up to the incident remain under investigation.
Jonathan Newell, the father of the three girls, shared his grief in a September interview with WPTA. He questioned the motives behind the tragedy, wondering if visitation rights played a role. At the time, he was allowed to see his daughters only twice a month for one supervised hour each visit.
In an emotional statement, Newell expressed disbelief and sorrow, emphasizing that visitation restrictions should not have resulted in such a tragedy. He also highlighted the importance of mental health awareness, advocating for improved access to mental health resources to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
