WALLACE, Idaho. — A 33-year-old pregnant woman and her infant son were found shot to death in a north Idaho home, authorities said.
Deputies responded around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a death at the home, Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey announced on Facebook. There they found the bodies of Elizabeth Lawley and her 2-year-old son.
Both had gunshot wounds, and a preliminary investigation indicates Lawley shot and killed the boy and then herself, according to the sheriff.
News outlets reported that the sheriff said Lawley was pregnant.
Lindsey said that in her 19 years of service in Shoshone County, she had never seen the sheriff’s office so bleak and devastated.
“Today was an extremely difficult day for the family, for our office and for this community. And I can only imagine what the family is going through,» the Facebook post read.
Wallace is a small town east of Coeur d’Alene along Interstate 90.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the US and has been on the rise for the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Firearms are the most common method used in suicides, the CDC says.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit TalkingSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.