Officers shaken after finding a mom killed herself along with three small children

When we read stories like this, it is easy to understand the pain the family has, neighbors have and friends have, but too often we forget about what the members of the law enforcement community go through. If you pray for the family, which I'm sure you will, please add in the sheriff's department as well as the other first responders.

The grandparents weren't the only ones shaken. Dawsey said that first responders were greeted by the "horrific sight" of "young children, snuffed out."

"I know our deputies ... are pretty broken up about the whole scene," said sheriff's spokeswoman Gail Tierney.

October 31, 2008
Mother kills self, three young sons in Citrus County
FLORAL CITY -- Tragedy has struck Citrus County hard yet again: a mother appears to have taken the lives of her three young boys with a gun that she then turned on herself, according to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.

The oldest boy was almost 4. The youngest was just 15-months-old.

The mother was identified this afternoon as 23-year-old Alicia Chomic of Pasco County. Her children were identified as Thomas Goldsmith Jr., almost 4; Damian Lietz, 2 1/2-years-old; and 15-month-old Anthony Lietz Jr.

The apparent murder-suicide took place at the home of the maternal grandmother, Vickie Maslowski, at 4983 E. Stoer Lane. Sheriff's officials said the 23-year-old mother and children left Pasco County about a week ago to move in with the grandmother and Chomic's stepfather in their Floral City mobile home.

go here for more

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/10/mom-three-sons.html