Police found a family of four dead in an apparent murder-suicide in their Allen, Texas, home earlier this week. The bodies of Farman and Layla Sherwani and their sons Mateen Sherwani, 2, and Shaheen Sherwani, 12, were discovered during a welfare check Monday. Family members grew concerned when they could not get inside the home and alerted police.
This is the second tragedy for the Sherwani family in a matter of weeks. Their 4-year-old daughter, Lyian, recently died in a drowning accident. In an email to NBC News, Allen Police Sergeant Jonathan Maness noted the drowning "is believed to be a factor."
More from CafeMom: I Was Standing 3 Feet Away From My Boy When He Drowned
A resident of the home was locked out.
According to police, an unnamed resident was locked out for two hours. Concerned, the person called police to come check the home in the 1200 block of Aberdeen Drive about 8:45 a.m., NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported. Officers entered the house, and that is when they found the four family members dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
The deaths saddened neighbors.
Neighbor Jacqueline Soto told Fox 4 that the relative trying to get into the home was a distraught grandmother. "Just trying to, I guess, control the grandmother who was incredibly upset herself," she said.
Soto also said that Lyian's death three weeks ago was difficult for everyone, and they all "felt for the family."
The Sherwanis were part of the Muslim community.
Imam Abdul Rahman Bashir, the religious director for the Islamic Association of Allen, confirmed Lyian's death to NBC Dallas-Forth Worth and said the situation is heartbreaking.
"As the father of three children myself, it's something very hard to digest and grapple with the gravity of the situation, what the family may have been going through. We just continue to encourage the community to be there for each other during this time of sorrow and grief and we also encourage the community to cherish their family members and the moments that they have and be cognizant of the uncertainty of life," he said.
The family was buried on Tuesday.
The family funeral, also referred to as a Janaza, took place on Tuesday, according to Beshir. He explained it is customary in Islam to bury the dead as soon as possible. Beshir said the Islamic Association of Allen would partner with the Muslim Association of Psychological Services, or MAPS, to help the community grapple with tremendous loss.
"We reach out to the community to remind them of the importance of being there for each other, if someone needs help, to reach out to whoever it is that may trust to reach out in these tragic times. We offer the mosque and open these doors to serve as a safe place for them," Bashir told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.
More from CafeMom: Young Woman Regains Consciousness After Surviving Mother's Murder-Suicide Plot
Police have released few details.
Aside from confirming that the drowning played a part in the apparent murder-suicide, police have been tight-lipped about the case. They have not identified the alleged shooter or other details because the investigation is ongoing.
Bashir shared words of encouragement with NBC Dallas-Forth Worth.
"My message to our community at large is to be there for each other if someone has an issue, if there is something that is bothering someone, to reach out and find a pair of ears that you can talk to and for those who who someone reaches out to, give your ears, lend an ear and allow someone to share," he said.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
