Crime & Safety

Mother and 5-Year-old Child Killed in New Jersey Home

Englewood Schools spokeswoman confirmed a mother and her 5-year-old child were found dead Tuesday in a double homicide in Englewood, NJ. UPDATED with details, names of the victims.

A 40-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times in her Englewood, NJ home and her 3-year-old daughter appeared to have suffocated, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said Tuesday at the scene of a grisly double homicide. 

Authories identified the victims as Tammy Gaddy, 40, and her 3-year-old daughter, Natasia at a press conference outside the home at West Palisade Avenue and Palisade Place.

Gaddy was found stabbed multiple times on the main floor of the house on Monday afternoon, while Natasia — who was found in the finished basement — likely died of asphyxiation, Molinelli said. The little girl was not stabbed, and a garbage bag was found near her body, he said.

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Authorities believe the crime occurred sometime on Monday. Police responded to the home after several reports of a "burglary in progress," Molinelli said.

When authorities arrived at the home Monday, several family members were already at the house, he said. 

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"There were a lot of people in the apartment when the bodies were discovered so we have to go through a very thorough process of ascertaining what their involvement was," Molinelli said. "We don't rule out anyone." 

"We feel that we should be able to pursue this case vigorously and bring this to an arrest shortly," Molinelli said. 

Earlier in the afternoon Tuesday, friends and family were seen outside the red brick house at the corner of West Palisade Avenue and Palisade Place, which was cordoned off with police tape. A middle-aged woman sobbed loudly in the front yard, while another woman appeared to have fainted. 

Check back on Patch for continuous updates on this breaking news story.


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