Authorities have identified the family that was found dead on Saturdayin an apparent murder-suicide in their Pennsylvania home.
TheBerks County District Attorney’s Office identified thegunshot victimsasMark Short, 40, his wife, Megan, 33, and their children Lianna, 8, Mark Jr., 5, and Willow, 2, Philadelphia Media Network reported. The family dog was also shot and killed. A handgun was found near one of the adults, officials said, but police have not identified the shooter. A”murder-suicide” note was also discovered in the home.
The bodies were discovered on Saturday afternoon in the town of Sinking Spring, 70 miles northwest of Philadelphia in Berks County.
Police said there were “domestic issues” between the parents, with Megan Short planning to leave her husband on the day of the shooting. A week ago, Megan Short appelaed on Facebook for help moving out of the Brookfield Manor home, theReading Eagle reported. A neighbor,Angie Burke, said she posted an online article by Leigh Stein titled, “He didn’t hit me. It was still abuse,”to her Facebook page and Megan Short replied,”It really does a number on your mental health for sure.” According to the Reading Eagle, Megan Short then added:”This is why I am leaving my marriage Angie.16 years.”
Burke said that Megan Short confessed to her that she was in an abusive relationship in the past.
“I can’t say I spoke much to Mark, maybe waved,” Burke said. “He would pull the kids in a wagon, and you would never know. But that’s the thing, you don’t know.” RELATED:Five dead in apparent murder-suicide in Pennsylvania: reports This sn’t the first time the Short family made the news. Willow Short had a heart transplant when she was a week old, The New York Times reported in 2015. Her parents relied on a specialty pharmacy to send the drugs needed to keep their daughter’s body from rejecting the heart. One time, Megan Short recalled in a blog post, the pharmacy did not send enough medication and she was afraid for her daughter’s life.
“I have anxiety and nightmares,” Megan Short wrote on the blogPhilly at Heartin April. “Certain smells and hallways trigger memories every single time.Yet sometimes the memoriesreturn out of nowhere like abeeping sound from someone’s phone reminding you of the monitor alarms. … I don’t think PTSD ever truly goes away but, with therapy, medication, and the right support, I have begun to loosen its grip on me.”
She continued with wordsof encouragement to other parents in similar situations: “Trying to heal these wounds isn’t easy.Sometimes you will evenfeel worse during the process, but keep going. It is worth it. Fear and anxiety don’t have to control you.You can and will enjoy life again.”
An autopsy is scheduled on Monday for Mark Short. No other autopsies have been scheduled, Reading Eagle reported.
