11-year-old reveals how she played dead when her brother shot at her moments after she saw dad and sister, 7, killed
The 11-year-old sole survivor of a family massacre in Washington state played dead after older brother allegedly opened fire at her, it has emerged.
The 11-year-old sole survivor of a family massacre in Washington state played dead after older brother allegedly opened fire at her, it has emerged.
The girl woke up to the sound of gunshots inside her familys Fall City home on October 21, according to court documents obtained by CNN.
She told investigators how after seeing the bodies of her father Mark Humiston and nine-year-old brother laying on the hallway floor covered in blood, she saw the gunman shoot her younger sister dead.
The girl then claims the shooter, whom she has identified as her 15-year-old brother, came into her bedroom and fired their fathers silver Glock handgun at her, hitting her hand and neck.
She says her brother then approached to bodies of her family members to check if they were alive and pretended to play dead as the teen stood next to her bed. She later escaped through a fire window and to a neighbors property.
Five members of the family - parents Mark, 43, and Sarah Humiston, 42, and their children Katheryn Humiston, 7, Joshua Humiston, 9, and Benjamin Humiston, 13 - were killed in the shooting.
The suspect, who has not been publicly named due to his age, was charged Thursday in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder.
The 11-year-old sole survivor of a family massacre in Washington state played dead while her older brother allegedly opened fire at her, it has emerged. Pictured is the Lake Alice Road home in Fall City where five people were killed on October 21
DailyMail.com has obtained a photo of the accused killer, a 15-year-old boy who has not been publicly named due to his age
The 11-year-old daughter survived the attack after escaped using the fire window in her room and ran to her neighbors house.
The neighbor called 911 just after 5am saying the injured 11-year-old had come to the home reporting that her family had been shot by her 15-year-old brother, the affidavit said.
Arriving deputies detained the 15-year-old in the driveway and found the bodies inside. The 11-year-old was treated at a hospital in Seattle and has since been released, a hospital spokesperson said.
However, just seven minutes before the neighbor called authorities, the 15-year-old suspect also called 911, claiming that his 13-year-old brother Benjamin shot their family and then killed himself. The accused murderer, sounding out of breath, alleged he was hiding the bathroom.
The suspect told dispatchers that Benjamin carried out the shooting after having been caught watching porn the previous evening.
It is understood that Mark and Sarah were extremely religious and imposed a highly-controlled existence on their five kids – including dictating who they could be friends with and homeschooling them.
Mark Humiston, 42, his wife Sarah, and three of their five children were shot dead inside their home in Fall City, Washington on October 21. The couple are pictured together
The couples eldest son, 15, (in green) is accused of killing his parents, two brothers, and one of his two sisters. The surviving sister, 11, (in red) was shot twice and is now in hospital. The siblings are pictured with their father during happier times
According to detectives, the 15-year-old also attempted to stage the crime scene to lend credence to his story that it had been a murder-suicide perpetrated by Benjamin.
The report notes that a black Glock pistol had been placed in the childs hand but forensic investigators spotted that the weapon hadnt been fired and that blood splatter from a fatal wound to the boys face was in the wrong place.
The family, who were initially reported to have been found in their beds, were found scattered throughout the house with Mark on the floor at the bottom of the stairs and Sarah folded over over in her en suite bathroom.
Mark suffered four gunshot wounds while Sarah was discovered with two bullet wounds to the head.
The 11-year-old survivor also told investigators that the defendant had recently gotten into trouble for failing tests at school, and that the handgun he used belonged to their father.
Of all the children, she said, he was the only one who knew the code to the lock box their dad kept it in.
The boy was charged Thursday in juvenile court with five counts of first-degree aggravated murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
Prosecutors have requested that the case be moved to adult court, KIRO 7 reported. Under Washington state law, a hearing is required before the case can be moved into adult court.
The defendant will not be arraigned until it is decided whether the case will be tried in adult or juvenile court. The decision is expected to be released in a hearing on June 4 next year.
Five members of the family - parents Mark, 43, and Sarah Humiston, 42, and their children Katheryn Humiston, 7, Joshua Humiston, 9, and Benjamin Humiston, 13 - were killed in the shooting. Pictured are detectives arriving at the tragic scene at about 5am on October 21 after receiving multiple 911 calls
Flowers are left near the crime scene in memory of the Humiston family
If he is tried as an adult and convicted, the defendant would face a sentence of 25 years to life, with the potential for release after 25 years.
If the case remains in juvenile court, the maximum sentence would be confinement until the age of 25, at which he would then be released.
Before court adjourned on Friday, the teens attorney spoke on his behalf, according to the news outlet. He told the court: Many people have reached out to us who know (the suspect). They have attested to his good character.
He has been described as kind and caring, someone who has friends and engages in social activities, someone who has been a positive contributor to his community.
A case status hearing has been set for January 8, 2025.
