Parents Dead In Likely Murder-Suicide At Chatsworth Home, 2 Young Children Unhurt

CHATSWORTH (CBSLA) – Authorities believe a man shot and killed his wife and then himself in their Chatsworth home Sunday afternoon in a possible murder-suicide.

Witnesses told CBS2 the couple's two young children -- a 4-year-old girl and 3-month-old infant -- were found unhurt inside the home when the bodies were discovered.

At about 4:30 p.m., Los Angeles police responded to an "assault with a deadly weapon/shots fired" call at a home in the 9100 block of Foster Lane to find the 46-year-old man and his 38-year-old wife dead from gunshots wounds in an upstairs bedroom. Investigators believe the husband shot his wife while she lay in bed before turning the gun on himself.

Their names were not immediately released. Details are still murky regarding when exactly the shootings occurred and how long the children were alone in the home.

Neighbor Olivia Robinson told CBS2 her husband entered the home to find the bodies. She said that the deceased couple's children were in there as well. Police would not immediately confirm that account to CBS2.

"He (my husband) grabbed the gun and he told me to come over, and he gave me the little girl, and she's obviously traumatized," Robinson said.

The children have since been taken into the custody of the L.A. County Department of Children's Family Services, police said. They were taken to a hospital for observation.

"We've been married 33 years, I've just never seen that look on his face, it's really traumatizing," Robinson added.

Another neighbor, Tony Medina, took in the 4-year-old and fed her until police arrived.

"She heard her mom crying, and then what really was kind of heart-wrenching was when she said she saw 'mommy was broken,'" Medina said.

LAPD confirmed a welfare check was conducted at the home at 7 a.m. Sunday on request from a family member, but nothing suspicious was initially found at the residence, police told CBS2. It's unclear if police entered or spoke to anyone at the home during that check.

Hours later, a family friend came to the home with a locksmith, and upon gaining entry with neighbors, discovered the couple and the children.

LAPD homicide detectives are investigating. There was no word on a motive in the shootings.