A tragic incident unfolded in a secluded New Hampshire home, where a mother and her toddler son were found with fatal gunshot wounds. The authorities were alerted to the situation when a fellow resident of the Pembroke Hill Road house dialed 911 after reportedly hearing two gunshots in the early hours of Friday.
The victims, identified as 26-year-old Julia Byrne and her toddler son, Blake, were discovered in an upstairs bedroom, each suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. The mother was declared dead at the scene, while her son was rushed to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice is currently investigating the case as a potential murder-suicide. The scene of the incident, a two-story yellow shingled house nestled at the top of a hill in a typically tranquil rural area, was sealed off with crime scene tape as forensic investigators documented the scene.
Ryan Demers, a neighbor who has resided on Pembroke Hill Road for two years, expressed his shock to local media. He admitted that he knew little about the inhabitants of the house, as they seemed to keep to themselves.
Byrne’s social media accounts paint a contrasting picture of her life. While there are numerous joyful images of her and her son enjoying outdoor activities, she also shared posts that hinted at her struggles with mental health and the challenges of motherhood.
Byrne had enlisted in the US Army in 2018, although it remains unclear whether she completed basic training or was an active military member at the time of her death.