Detectives said evidence points to a mother killing her children before dying at the home.
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — A welfare check requested Thursday night at a home in The Lake Club community led deputies to the bodies of a woman and her two children, authorities said Friday, as investigators worked to determine what happened inside the residence.
Manatee County sheriff’s investigators said preliminary findings suggest the 44-year-old mother killed her children, a 14-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, before dying in the home. Officials described the scene as violent and said it appeared confined to the family, with no ongoing threat to neighbors. The medical examiner is expected to determine the official causes and manner of death as detectives continue to review evidence.
The sheriff’s office said deputies were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. Thursday to a house in the 8200 block of Pavia Way in Lakewood Ranch, an area of eastern Manatee County near University Parkway. Investigators said the call came after family members became worried when they could not reach anyone inside. Sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren said the children’s father and the woman’s husband was traveling in South America at the time and requested the welfare check when attempts to contact the family failed.
Deputies arrived and observed circumstances that prompted them to enter the residence, Warren said. Inside, they found the two children dead in separate rooms and the mother dead in another room. Authorities said the children were found to have died from homicidal violence and that all three suffered traumatic injuries. Warren said he would not describe the specific injuries or how each person died, citing the active investigation and the role of the medical examiner in confirming details.
By Friday morning, detectives and crime-scene personnel were still working at the home, documenting evidence and building a clearer picture of the family’s final hours. Warren said investigators were reviewing records and communications and interviewing people who may have interacted with the family recently. He said deputies had not previously been dispatched to the address, and authorities were not aware of earlier calls for service at the home.
Warren said the family moved to Lakewood Ranch about three years ago from Missouri. He said investigators were trying to understand what led up to the deaths, including whether there were warning signs visible to relatives, friends or others. Authorities did not release the names of the victims Friday, saying additional relatives needed to be notified first. The sheriff’s office said it expected to release the names Saturday, noting that some family members live outside the country.
Asked whether the mother left a message, Warren said investigators had not confirmed publicly that a note existed. He added that detectives saw evidence suggesting forethought. “There was some planning involved,” Warren said, adding that investigators believed the mother knew what she was doing. He did not provide specifics about what led investigators to that conclusion, saying details could become part of later reports.
Authorities emphasized that the deaths did not pose a continuing public safety risk. “All parties are accounted for,” investigators said, and there was “no threat to the community,” Warren said. Deputies remained in the neighborhood Friday as the investigation continued, and law enforcement controlled the immediate area around the home while personnel entered and exited with equipment.
The Lake Club’s homeowners’ association issued a statement Friday acknowledging the deaths and expressing sympathy. The group said it was aware of the incident and that the matter remained under investigation by the sheriff’s office. “Our hearts are with the family and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said. The association said it would not comment further out of respect for the investigation and the people involved.
Lakewood Ranch, one of the region’s fastest-growing master-planned communities, includes gated neighborhoods like The Lake Club along with schools, shopping areas and recreational spaces. Residents described the neighborhood as quiet, with many families drawn to the area for its parks and nearby campuses. Authorities said they were mindful of the impact on neighbors, particularly with two children among the dead.
The sheriff’s office said the next steps include completing evidence collection, finalizing interviews and awaiting the medical examiner’s findings. Investigators said they plan to provide updates after the victims are identified publicly and as the investigative process moves forward, including any findings about the timeline or circumstances inside the home.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 27, 2026.