Maryland Toddler, Father Dead In Alleged Murder-Suicide Along Appalachian Trail, State Police Say
BOONSBORO, Md. (WJZ) -- The bodies of a Frederick father and his 2-year-old son were found along the Appalachian Trail in Washington County early Friday morning in what Maryland State Police are investigating as a murder-suicide.
Police have identified the father as 34-year-old Sean Thomson. He and his son were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to an early investigation, Thomson's wife called police around 10:30 p.m. Thursday to report that her husband had picked up their son from her parent's Boonsboro home around 8:30 p.m. to go hiking.
She drove to the parking lot along the Appalachian Trail in the 11000 block of Baltimore National Pike in Boonsboro where she found her husband's car parked. She called police to report them missing and expressed concern because she said "her husband had been despondent lately."
State Police launched an immediate search operation calling in Mobile Field Force, Special Operations Division and Natural Resources Police. Resources included personnel trained in tracking.
Around 3 a.m. Friday morning, the body of the 2-year-old boy was found along a ravine off the trail, more than a mile north of where the car was parked. An hour later Sean's body was found. Both bodies had signs of trauma and a knife was recovered from the scene.
The homicide unit and crime scene techs are processing the scene, which is in a rugged location only accessible on foot. The investigation is ongoing.
The bodies will be taken to the office of the chief medical examiner's office in Baltimore for autopsies.
A motive remains unclear. The family was living together. Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact the Frederick Barrack at 301-600-4151. The investigation is continuing.