Mother, daughter, and dog found fatally stabbed in Brooklyn apartment in apparent 'murder-suicide'
Mother, teenage daughter, and dog found dead with bag on head in Brooklyn apartment in apparent murder-suicide. Police investigating.
A shocking case of apparent murder-suicide has left a mother, her teenage daughter, and their dog dead in their Brooklyn apartment.
The victims, Azalea Rivas, 37, and her 14-year-old daughter, Azaria, were stabbed to death and had bags over their heads.
Their dog, Biscuit, was also killed in the same manner.
The tragedy was preceded by strange behaviour from the mother, according to neighbours. Kathleen Kiki, 57, said she saw Azalea Rivas walking her dog on the morning of September 25, around 6.13 am. She was wearing AirPods and talking in an agitated way. This was unusual for her, as she was normally cheerful and friendly.
Ms Kiki told the Daily Mail, “I don’t think she would have taken her life and her daughter’s life. I hope they get whoever did this.” Her daughter, Kiera, 19, also expressed disbelief that such a horrific crime could happen in their neighbourhood, which they considered safe.
The crime scene was located on New York Avenue in the Little Haiti area of Brooklyn. Azaria had a stab wound in her back and a fatal head injury. She had a bag over her head, probably to prevent blood splatter. Her mother, Azalea Rivas, died from a punctured lung and had self-inflicted cuts on her neck and wrists.
Neighbour Steve Schor, who lived below them, said he heard disturbing noises from their apartment on the morning of the incident around 7:22 am local time. He called 911, thinking someone was being hurt. Police officers from the 67th precinct came to the building but left without checking inside the apartment after getting no answer.
The bodies were not discovered until Monday, when another neighbour reported a bad smell in the building. Police came again and found Azalea Rivas’s ex-boyfriend inside the apartment. He had broken in after not hearing from them since Friday. He was screaming in agony before he was taken to the hospital.
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Mr. Schor complained about the slow response time and the lack of security in the building. He said the only security camera was outside the front door. The police are still investigating whether this was a murder-suicide or a homicide.
Azalea Rivas’s uncle posted a message on Facebook, calling for better mental health and child protective services. He implied that these services may have failed his niece and grandniece.
NYPD is actively investigating the case, but no arrest made as of now.
