OPP investigating after finding family of 4 dead in Harrow, Ont., home

OPP on the scene of a sudden death investigation at a home on County Road 13 in Harrow, Ont., on Thursday. Four people were found dead. (Dalson Chen/CBC - image credit)
OPP on the scene of a sudden death investigation at a home on County Road 13 in Harrow, Ont., on Thursday. Four people were found dead. (Dalson Chen/CBC - image credit)

Essex provincial police are investigating the deaths of a mother, father and two young children at their family home near Harrow, Ont., in what has been called an "unimaginable tragedy."

Officers were called to a residence on County Road 13 around 1:30 p.m. ET Thursday.

OPP spokesperson Derek Rogers told a news conference Friday afternoon that it's too early in the investigation to determine what happened and no arrests have been made.

Rogers said investigators quickly determined there was no threat to the community and called it an "unimaginable tragedy."

Cause of the deaths hasn't yet been determined and identities of the four family members weren't confirmed by police.

OPP on County Road 13 in Harrow for a sudden death investigation on June 20, 2024.
OPP on County Road 13 in Harrow for a sudden death investigation on June 20, 2024.

Police, shown on County Road 13 on Thursday, continue to investigate the deaths on Friday. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy, however, said a mom, dad and two children were dead.

The incident has had a "huge impact" on the town because it is a small, tight-knit community where everybody knows everybody, she said.

She said the mother was very involved in the community, working local jobs, coaching soccer and working at the local youth centre.

"We have such a small community and everything's connected. Just about every area of the town is impacted.

"There are no words of relief. There's nothing I can say to make anything better."

Harrow, Ont., is a small town close to Lake Erie and about a 45-minute drive south of Windsor.
Harrow, Ont., is a small town close to Lake Erie and about a 45-minute drive south of Windsor.

Harrow, Ont., is a small town close to Lake Erie and about a 45-minute drive south of Windsor. (Google Maps)

Bondy said the Harrow Health Centre is offering free counselling to members of the community experiencing grief and distress.

Post-mortem examinations will be conducted in London.

Police said residents can expect to see a large police presence for the next several days.

Harrow is a small southwestern Ontario town near Lake Erie. It's about a 45-minute drive south of Windsor.