Toddler becomes orphan after 'perfect family' wiped out by quadruple murder-suicide

A toddler has been left an orphan following his tragic family's quadruple murder-suicide.

The little boy was found with no serious injuries beside the bodies of dad Ryan, mum Emily, his eight-year-old brother Parker and six-year-old sister, also called Ryan, at the family home. Investigators also discovered a gun at the scene in Madbury, New Hampshire, on Monday night.

Neighbours expressed their shock today, describing the Longs as "a perfect family". Autopsies are scheduled later today, though it is believed the deaths are as a result of murder-suicide following 48-year-old Ryan's brain cancer diagnosis.

Bevy Ketel, a neighbour in Madbury, said: "It was a perfect family as far as we knew. [Ryan] certainly touched a lot of lives. He was part of the fabric of the community and his family goes along with it... It's just shocking. We didn't see it coming."

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Emily, 34, recently posted on social media about her husband's cancer journey, CBS affiliate WBZ-TV reports. Her TikTok page showed a collection of videos, in which she spoke to camera about her family navigating the glioblastoma diagnosis.

The caption beside a poignant video on May 11 reads: "Want to watch someone actually fall apart before your very eyes? I swear, this cancer will be the thing that breaks me."

In her latest update, Emily declared she was trying to make changes to get herself out of a "rut". The mum of two said: "I put makeup on and real clothes for the first time... in God only knows how long. I'm trying to get myself out of this rut, I know I've said this before but our kids are definitely struggling."

The youngest of Emily's children - the toddler - is now in the care of relatives, following the help of social services in Madbury, a small town approximately one hour from Boston.

And, in her previous social medias clips, Emily told how her children were struggling to sleep following their dad's diagnosis. Emily also said in one video: "It's important for my kids to be with their friends, and I have been struggling so much and really depressed and just have really become reclusive.

"That being said I am making a change. It is starting today... I need to become more social again. So hold me to it. Today I am adjusting my perspective and I'm making a point to get out of my depression and do this for my family."

Investigations into the deaths continue. New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati told WCAX: "One of the biggest questions they have is motive... I think that's probably one of the more difficult things that they are trying to grasp, to understand."

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