Toddler, two others found shot dead after mysterious 911 call for 'help'
Three people – including a toddler – were found dead with gunshot wounds after a 911 caller simply said "help." (Getty Images)
Deputies in Ohio are investigating a mysterious 911 call that led to the discovery of three bodies – including a toddler – who had been shot.
According to the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office in New Philadelphia, Ohio, the 911 hang-up call came in at 4:17 a.m. Wednesday.
Ohio toddler found shot dead
What we know:
The sheriff’s office said the 911 caller hung up immediately after a dispatcher answered, so fast it didn’t pick up a location. Dispatchers tried calling the number back several times, at one point hearing a voice softly saying "help."
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Dispatchers were eventually able to trace the phone to its owner, who said he had loaned the phone to someone he knew. That led investigators to a home in the village of Gnadenhutten, where three people were found dead inside. The three victims, a 67-year-old man, a 51-year-old woman and a 22-month-old boy, all had gunshot wounds. Deputies also found a gun at the scene.
What we don't know:
Authorities haven’t identified the victims, nor have they named a suspect or motive.
What they're saying:
"There are many people to interview and much to do with evidence from the scene but I feel strongly that the community is in no danger," Sheriff Orvis L. Campbell wrote on Facebook. "We will provide additional information once we are confident that we have gathered and verified all the necessary facts."
The Source: This report includes information from the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office in New Philadelphia, Ohio.