HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The bodies of three teens were found Tuesday at a Crosby-area home, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
A neighbor made the discovery inside a home in the 4500 block of Wolcek Road, which is just east of Crosby, according to the sheriff.
Gonzalez said the bodies did show signs of trauma and it appears it could be a double murder-suicide.
Two of the bodies were found together in the home and the third was in a different location, according to Gonzalez. He said there appeared to be two 17-year-old girls and a 15-year-old boy. Two of the teens are related while the third appears to be a friend or acquaintance.
"Anytime there's a child involved ... at the end of the day, we are all parents in some way and connected to young people," Gonzalez said. "It's extremely difficult when we are talking about young people."
He also said a gun was found at the scene.
According to Gonzalez, the homeowner was out of town.
Gonzalez said the people who made the discovery live next door. A family member of one of the teens was trying to get in touch with them and wasn't able to do so. They went to the house and didn't get a response at the door, so they made their way inside, where they found the bodies, Gonzalez said.
The identities of the teens have not been released and it's unclear if they attended school in the area.
Neighbors in the rural community are struggling to understand what happened.
"It's really surprising to see something like this happen out here to one of us," neighbor David Givans said. "It's a close community for the most part. We all watch out for each other."
Here's an update from Gonzalez that was given at the scene shortly after the discovery was made:
Resources for suicide prevention
Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs of suicide and taking them seriously. Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life.
If you or anyone you know is in need of help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at: 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text the lifeline at 741741 or chat online here.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.
You can also reach out to UT Physicians here.