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Family’s deaths stun quiet neighborhoodBy DONNA TOMMELLEOAssociated Press WriterEAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Ha hair in flames, 8-ycar-old Jessica Silk ran shrieking to a neighbor’s home. Her mother had just stabbed her and set the house on fire.What horrified neighbors and firelighters soon discovered in the early morning hours Thursday was that Kelly Silk also fatally stabbed herhusband and started a lire that killed two other children and herself. Jessica and an infant brother were hospitalized.Police speculate that die 32-year-old woman, who had previously battled depression, may have been struggling widi it again. In May 1998, Mrs. Silk overdosed ixi the an-lidcprcssant Prozac.We’re looking at things like postpartum depression,” Police Chief James Shay said.Shay said firefighters were called to die home around 1:15 a.m. Thursday. They found die bodies of Mrs. Silk: Charles Silk, 39; daughter Jen-nilcr, 3; and son Jonah, 2.Six-monlh-old Joshua Silk, also found inside die house, suffered severe bums.Slu\ said Jessica — who was slabbed several nines — had made die sail to police herself.She's (Hie of the voices on our tape. She was obviously in a state of trauma and shock. It was marvelous she had die presence of mind to call,” said Shay.The Silks’ neighborhood is a bucolic blend of country and suburb, w icre die mother of lour often gathered her brood for the short walk to a pasture to pet and feed a neighbor’s horse.Horse owner Austin Harlow recalled that Mrs. Silk made sure the children were very careful around the docile animal.“It’s a real shocker,” Harlow said. “She look care of die kids.”Police and fire investigators spent most of the day gathering evidence from the Silks’ light green raised ranch, which had been for sale since January.A child’s bright orange plastic car lay in the front yard.Harlow, who said the family last visited his horse a few weeks ago, had watched several hours earlier as firefighters rushed tiny Joshua into a waiting cruiser.“That really got to me,” he said.Shay said officers used their cruisers to transport some of the victims because there weren’t enough ambulances. One of the children died in an officer’s arms, he said.Mrs. Silk asphyxiated in the fire, the chief state medical examiner said. She had appurendy used a chemical to start the fire and may have been caught up in the first Hash of fire. Her dcatii was ruled a suicide.Charles Silk, who worked for a Hartford printing company, died of stab wounds. The two children died of smoke inhalation and bums. Their deaths were all ruled homicides.Joshua was m serious condition atMassachusetts General Hospital in Boston, spokeswoman Sue Mc-Grccvey said.Jessica, a student at Emmanuel Christian Academy in Newington, was in serious condition at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, spokesman Chris Boyle said.Family friend Joe Amato said Mrs. Silk became depressed after the birth of her third child, about 18 months ago.“It look her ... a good three, lour months to overcome it,” Amato toldWFSB-TV.Funeral arrangements probably will be made today. Family members said it was still uncertain who would take custody of the surviving children.GREAT GIFT FOR FATHERS DAY!ReclinerTransitional styling.VV a I la wav’ fullv reclines ^ within 3 of the wailReclinerChaiselounger seatingPlor full length reclining ► comfort \Vallawavfully reclines within 3’m'?, of the wall3 Cotors AvailaNtKim krlRocketReclinerReclinerContemporary stvling generously scaled withchaise1 loungei seatingtransitional locker redinei features genuine leather with matching supported vinvl nun
Newspaper Details
Naugatuck Daily News
Naugatuck, Connecticut, US
Fri, Jun 11, 1999
Page 2
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Erica L.
MA, USA 29 Nov 2018
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