A Washington state boy, 15, accused of killing his parents and three siblings, reportedly called the police claiming his brother was the killer, court documents reveal.
Charged with five counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, the incident occurred early Monday in Fall City, approximately 25 miles east of Seattle, where the bodies were discovered after a reported shooting at a home on Lake Alice Road.
The deceased were identified by the medical examiner’s office as Mark Humiston, 43; Sarah Humiston, 42; and their children Katheryn, 7; Joshua, 9; and Benjamin, 13.
The couple’s 11-year-old daughter, who was shot but survived by pretending to be dead, managed to escape and seek help from a neighbor’s house, according to a King County sheriff’s detective.
The girl was hospitalized and later discharged from Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The teenager was arrested on the day of the shooting and was detained at a juvenile facility as of Thursday.
At approximately 4:55 a.m. on Monday, the teen allegedly contacted the King County Sheriff’s Office, falsely claiming his 13-year-old brother “just shot my whole family and committed suicide too,” as stated in a probable cause document by a sheriff’s detective.
The 11-year-old survivor reported to police that her brother used their father’s Glock, which was typically stored in a lockbox, to carry out the shootings.
She recounted hearing cries for “stop” and “help” after being shot by her brother, who then left the room, allowing her to escape.
It was noted that the suspect knew the combination to the lockbox containing the handgun, the only one among the siblings to do so.
Amy Parker and Molly Campera, attorneys representing the teen, highlighting his innocence during his initial court appearance, describing him as a typical 15-year-old who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no previous criminal record.
“These are mere allegations at this point, not established facts. Our client is presumed innocent of the charges,” they stated.