Police: 6-year-old girl killed in apparent murder-suicide near Cincinnati

HAMILTON COUNTY — Police near Cincinnati are investigating after they said a father killed his 6 year old daughter, then himself.

Detectives said this started as an argument during a custody exchange at an apartment complex in Mount Healthy, our news partners at WCPO report.

When officers arrived they heard a gunshot from the second floor bedroom.

When police tried to get in, they found the door barricaded, then heard more gunshots.

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According to investigators, SWAT attempted to communicate with the barricaded person but when this failed they made entry into the bedroom where they discovered two people dead, both suffering from gunshot wounds.

Iyla Johnson, 6, and her father, 40-year-old Eric Johnson, were identified as those dead.

“Very tragic, heartbreaking situation,” Vince Demasi, Mt. Healthy police chief told WCPO.

Police said they believe the first gunshot they heard when they arrived was Johnson shooting the child. They are awaiting the coroner’s report for an exact cause of death.

Johnson was a convicted felon and not supposed to have a gun.

A GoFundMe page has been created for Ilya Johnson’s funeral expenses.

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