It is believed that a mother of two small children in California murdered her 4-year-old and 1-year-old children and then took her own life. The mother has been identified by authorities as Evelyn "Lily" Lemus Garcia, and her two children as 4-year-old Estefany Lemus and 1-year-old Emiliano Lemus. Family, friends, and neighbors are confused about why the mother took the lives of her children and her own. Local law enforcement reportedly stated the heartbreaking event is one of the most difficult calls they have had to respond to.
Family of the mother, husband Rudy R. Florian, and their two children are asking for help with funeral expenses via a GoFundMe account. So far more than $20,000 has been raised to help the family.
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Family, friends, and neighbors are confused as to why the mother did it.
The incident reportedly occurred on June 5, and Fremont police arrived at the scene about 1 p.m. They reportedly found a knife at the scene, according to People, and released a statement about the deaths of the mother and her two children.
“Sadly, for unknown reasons, a one-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl lost their lives yesterday, and their mother is believed to have taken her own life,” the statement reads, according to People.
Several neighbors of the family were understandably shocked by what happened.
"We haven't had any problems in this area, it's quiet. The neighborhood's quiet," one neighbor commented. "We never have any problems, it surprised me," the news outlet reported.
"I heard about how young they were and the mom too," neighbor Kevin Anderson shared, according to People. It's just a terrible situation. It’s horrible. Those poor kids.”
The mother’s social media posts gave no inclination that she was struggling, with the most recent posts made last fall during what appeared to be a first birthday party for her son.
Local law enforcement officials also were disturbed by the incident.
Fremont Chief of Police Sean Washington called it an extremely devastating situation to respond to.
“This was one of the most difficult calls for service that Fremont has experienced in recent years and many of our officers and firefighters are experiencing their own sense of loss and sorrow. As an organization, we will continue to thoroughly investigate this delicate case, while offering support and providing compassionate service,” Washington said, per People.
The mother’s motivation is unknown at this point.
Some have wondered if she had been in the midst of a battle with postpartum depression.
Though postpartum depression often affects mothers in the first few weeks after giving birth, some studies and research have shown it can affect mothers up to a year or even three years after giving birth. A 2014 review of studies on PPD showed that 30 to 50% of participants met the criteria one year after giving birth and that slightly fewer than half the participants reported depressive symptoms three years after delivery, per Healthline.
PPD symptoms can manifest as depression, loss of interest, insomnia, hallucinations, and even suicidal thoughts or inclinations, so it’s important to seek help from a health care professional and be open and honest about any symptoms you are experiencing.
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Her family is asking for help with funeral expenses on a GoFundMe page.
The family of Evelyn "Lily" Lemus Garcia and her husband and two small children needs help to pay for funerals and is doing so via a GoFundMe account.
“We were not born here, we are from Guatemala and we ask for your help," the page reads. "We are raising this gofundme for our family expenses, as you may know, my nephew's wife killed her two children and then committed suicide. We need your help, a collaboration to pay for the arrangements and family expenses. Evelyn Lily Lemus was the mother of these children.”
Her relatives are confused and sad about the mother's actions and don't understand what she did or why she did it.
“We don't know Lily's motivation, why she did something as horrible as this. We are confused. Sad. I Wish I could have done something," the page adds. "To not let her or our children find this past, but we don't know why. We are confused. We're sorry to have to still be here and ask for help, but we need your help. We are facing a difficult time financially and all of this will go towards family expenses. Thank you for understanding.”
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.
