WALLACE, Idaho. — A 33-year-old pregnant woman and her toddler son were found shot to death in a home in northern Idaho, authorities said.
Deputies responded at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a death at the home, Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey announced on Facebook. There they found the bodies of Elizabeth Lawley and her 2-year-old son.
Both had gunshot wounds, and a preliminary investigation indicates that Lawley shot and killed the boy and then herself, according to the sheriff.
News outlets reported that the sheriff said Lawley had been pregnant.
Lindsey said in her 19 years of service in Shoshone County, she’s never seen the sheriff’s office so somber and devastated.
“Today was an extremely difficult day for the family, for our office, and for this community. And I can only imagine what the family is going through,” the Facebook post said.
Wallace is a small town east of Coeur d’Alene along Interstate 90.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and has been on the rise over the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Firearms are the most common method used in suicides, the CDC says.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
