AR - Five dead at residence in Atkins on Christmas Day in suspected murder-suicide, 25 DEC 2020

[Linskid]

Sheriff: Christmas Day killings near Atkins was murder-suicide | KLRT - FOX16.com

The sheriff says it was a murder-suicide, but the article doesn’t identify the shooter.

 

[ElementalLaura]

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette / Arkansasonline identifies the mother as the murderer/suicide.

Woman shot kin, then self at home near Atkins, police say

The grandmother had custody of the children. The father of the 10-year-old had sued for custody of his daughter in July of this year and ultimately won, but Chase was allowed visitation so long as grandmother was present.

"The court finds that the respondent, Jaquita Chase [mother], failed to submit to drug tested as ordered by the court," [Judge] McCain wrote when he gave guardianship to Patrick [Grandmother]. "The court hereby deems the refused drug test positive for methamphetamine and for prescription drugs. The court finds that respondent Jaquita Chase is currently an unfit parent based upon the following: Her positive drug test for methamphetamine and prescription drugs, the fact that she does not have a residence, the fact that she does not have employment and her continued criminal activity."

A very sad story. Sometimes I think parents deemed unfit should have higher requirements to meet before being allowed any contact. JMO. I don’t know that it would have mattered here, since family ties often take precedent over legal orders.

It seems from the last names that there are three different bio fathers for the children. Only one was mentioned in this article. The others may not have been involved with the girls.

RIP, Patricia Patrick (61), Abigail Heflin (12), Levenah Countryman (10) and Danielle Collins, (7).

MOO: I can often understand even a perpetrator’s viewpoint, but I just can’t with murder-suicides involving children as victims. It seems so spiteful, selfish and entitled.

Levenah’s father and family are broken-hearted, they had her gifts under the tree waiting for the Christmas celebration.

 

[ElementalLaura]

Jaquita Chase’s Facebook (now a memorial page):
Jaquita J Chase

 

[Lusitana]

So selfish.

 

[uburoi1]

Grisly.