Members of the Ontario Provincial Police investigate the deaths of four people in Harrow, Ont., on June 21. A mother, father and two young children were found dead at a home in rural southwestern Ontario in a tragedy that has devastated the local community, the area's mayor said Friday.Dax Melmer/The Canadian Press
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after four people were found dead inside a home in the rural community of Harrow, just south of Windsor.
Officers were called to the residence around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, where the four people were found dead in what the OPP described as a “profound loss.”
Although police said little about the victims or what led to the discovery, the mayor for the area identified the deceased as a mother, a father and two young children.
Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy says the deaths have had a “huge impact” on the town because it is a small, tight-knit community where everybody knows everybody. She says the mother who died was very involved in the community, coaching soccer and working at the local youth centre.
OPP spokesperson Derek Rogers said the cause of death and the identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed.
In a post made to X, formerly Twitter, the OPP said it believed there was no threat to public safety. Local residents were advised to expect a heightened police presence in the area.
Mr. Rogers said police officers and the forensic identification unit were still on the scene as of Friday afternoon and continued to collect information and evidence.
“These investigations are really open-ended,” Mr. Rogers said, explaining that it’s uncertain how long it will take to determine what exactly occurred.
“We understand that this is a profound loss in the community,” Mr. Rogers said. “They’re going to be doing everything that they can to fill in the blanks, to fill in the gaps in the information that we presently have.
A candlelight vigil called Light Up the Park is set to be held on Sunday evening in honour of the family and friends of the deceased. The vigil will take place at the Harrow Soccer Field at 7 p.m.
“The town of Harrow was hit with a devastating tragedy,” reads the vigil description on Facebook. “These people would light up any room they walked In. Their smiles, their laughs, even their jokes. The love that everyone in this town has for these individuals is outstanding.”
The Town of Essex also posted on Facebook, saying that in light of the recent tragedy, individuals in need of support are advised to contact the Canadian Mental Health Association.
In honour of the family, flags were lowered at municipal buildings in the area.
“In 2023 we experienced three major storms but none of them compare to the tragedy our community is experiencing now. Our flags are lowered as we mourn and process what has happened. There are really no words,” Ms. Bondy wrote in a post on Facebook.
With a report from The Canadian Press.
Fatima Raza