Man faces homicide charges after death of woman, 2 kids on Montreal's South Shore
Longueuil authorities discovered unconscious victims in apartment after fire triggered alarm
A 36-year-old man has been charged in Longueuil, Que., with two counts of first-degree murder and one of second-degree murder in connection to the death of a mother and her two children on Montreal's South Shore.
The charges of first-degree murder are related to the children, aged two and five, who died in Brossard, Que., over the weekend, according to court documents. The second-degree murder charge is related to the death of their mother, Synthia Bussières, 38.
The man, Mohamad Al Ballouz, is also expected to face arson charges.
According to Longueuil police, Al Ballouz was charged from his hospital bed Monday via telephone. The statement says the victims are the man's spouse and their children.
The incident took place at around 1 a.m. Sunday when authorities responded to a fire alarm triggered in a residential building on St-Laurent Boulevard near St-Charles Street.
Firefighters found three unconscious victims in an apartment on the 12th floor. They were rushed to hospital where the woman was pronounced dead. The two children were in critical condition but died shortly after.
The suspect was also in the apartment when authorities arrived and he was arrested. The man was injured and was brought to hospital to be treated.
Investigators questioned the man after he was treated, police said. He remains detained.
Autopsies will be carried out on the bodies of the victims to determine the exact causes of death, police said.
In addition, the investigation is continuing on-site in Brossard in collaboration with forensic technicians. Longueuil police say the couple and their children were not known to police.