A tragedy struck Gwinnett County when three children were shot dead by a man in a local park, identified as 56-year-old Jose Plasencia, who then turned the gun on himself, FOX 5 Atlanta reports. The grim discovery was made by an officer who found the bodies inside a car parked on a walking path at Lucky Shoals Park around 1 a.m. on May 8, with the children and the suspect deceased from gunshot wounds, FOX 5 Atlanta detailed the sequence of events.
The heartbreaking incident left behind Arianny Rodriguez, 13, Carlos Rodriguez, 9, and Chadal Rodriguez, 11, as the victims of this senseless act, while their mother had been at a hospital with another child, who police say shares a father with Plasencia but he was not the father of the slain kids, the mother who had trusted the man to take them for a meal found herself facing a devastating loss and according to WSB-TV.
Initial reports had incorrectly stated that Plasencia was the father of the children, however, Gwinnett County police later clarified he was not, as per the information provided by FOX 5; an officer intending to check on the car found instead a scene of devastating finality with the children and the adult male motionless and beyond aid.
The children's mother, Karina Rodriguez, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral expenses, saying she is heartbroken by the tragic loss of her "three little angels" and wishes to return their bodies to the Dominican Republic for a "Christian burial", sources including FOX 5 Atlanta shared her plea for assistance, the trust in a seemingly innocuous meal out turning into an act of irreparable pain and sorrow.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive and continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders, urging anyone with information to contact the Gwinnett County Police Department. For those experiencing crisis or in need of emotional support, help is available by calling or texting 988 or by engaging in an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
