A father and his 3-year-old son died in what authorities described as a murder-suicide at a Minnesota home, Us Weekly has learned.
A man found his brother, Gene Russell Bartnes, dead at Gene’s home in Holmesville Township on Monday, March 30, the Becker County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release updated on Tuesday, March 31.
The brother had gone to check on Gene, 45, when he did not show up for work, according to authorities. Then the brother called law enforcement after finding his body.
When Becker County sheriff’s deputies went to the home, they found Gene and his son, Koltyn Wayne Bartnes, dead, the sheriff’s office said.
“According to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of death of Koltyn Bartnes has been ruled as a homicide, and cause of death of Gene Bartnes has been ruled as a suicide,” the sheriff’s office said in the news release.
While speaking with KVLY-TV, Koltyn’s mother, Kristi Frazier, said that when she learned of her son’s death, she “stood up, and just fell.”
“I couldn’t even move,” Frazier added.
She told the TV station that Gene had written three suicide notes, which she has not read because of the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
Koltyn was one of several siblings, KVLY-TV reported.
“Our hearts are shattered as we share the unimaginable loss of a beautiful 3-year-old boy,” reads a GoFundMe page created by Tabitha Stinar in support of Frazier.
The page said that Frazier works as a daycare provider.
“No parent should ever have to experience this kind of pain, and yet our beloved daycare provider, Kristi, is now facing every parent’s worst nightmare,” reads the GoFundMe page. “Kristi has been more than just a daycare provider — she has been a safe place, a second home, and truly a second mom to so many kids. She has been a constant source of love, care, and comfort for my own little girl, as well as for many other kids in our community.”
A potential motive for Koltyn’s killing was not specified by law enforcement.
The Becker County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate.
Becker County is about a 205-mile drive northwest from Minneapolis.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call or text 988 for help, or chat with someone now at 988lifeline.org.
Read the full article here