Girl, 12, Called 911 as Eight Relatives Were Killed

Charlotte Ghekiere Tried to Get Help

Twelve-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere called 911 as an attack unfolded during her family’s Sunday dinner outside Billings, Montana, according to relatives who want her final effort to help the people around her remembered. Eight members of the extended family, including four children, were killed.

Authorities said the victims represented four generations of the same family. The gathering took place Aug. 23 at the home of Dana and Barb Smith, where relatives had come together for a regular family meal.

A family friend identified Charlotte as the person who called emergency services. The Yellowstone County sheriff said one of the females inside the home called 911 shortly after 6 p.m., although he said investigators could not independently confirm which person made the call.

Four Children Were Among Those Lost

Charlotte was killed along with her stepsiblings and other relatives, authorities and family members said. The children included Owen Ireland, 13; Chloe Ireland, 7; Landon Ghekiere, 15; and Charlotte, 12.

AP reported that family friend Jennifer Mercer remembered Charlotte as someone who loved nature, especially insects. Landon had been preparing to get his driver’s license, while Owen was remembered by his father as a protective older brother.

The adults killed included members of multiple generations as well, including the children’s mother, grandparents and great-grandmother. One surviving family member had been away at work when the attack occurred.

The scale of the loss is difficult to separate from the ordinary setting: relatives gathered for dinner at a family home.

Authorities Identified a Relative as the Killer

Officials identified 44-year-old Alan Smith, a member of the family, as the person responsible. According to authorities and surviving relatives, Smith had been living with his parents but had been asked to move out several weeks earlier.

Police said they had no previous contact with Smith at the home. Investigators were still working through the heavily damaged property and had not publicly established a definitive motive as of Aug. 26.

The sheriff acknowledged that some questions about the attack may never be answered. Authorities said Smith died by suicide after police arrived.

Investigators also faced major difficulties because fires had severely damaged the home, leaving teams to sift through the remains for evidence.

A Community Began Building a Memorial

In the days after the deaths, a makeshift memorial grew near neighborhood mailboxes. AP reported that people left flowers, family photographs, teddy bears, balloons and written messages.

One message came from a classmate grieving that the children would not be returning to school. A candlelight vigil was also being planned.

The items at the memorial reflected what numbers alone could not: this was not simply a crime scene involving eight victims. It was the loss of children, parents and grandparents whose lives overlapped in one family and one community.

Charlotte’s Call Became the Detail Her Family Wanted Known

Mercer told CBS News that Charlotte’s family specifically wanted people to know that the 12-year-old tried to summon help.

That does not lessen the horror of what happened, nor should it place any burden on a child who was caught in circumstances she did not create.

It simply preserves one human detail from a devastating event: in the middle of danger, Charlotte reached for a phone and called the people she believed could help her family.

As investigators continue searching for answers, her relatives have made clear that they do not want that act lost among the statistics.

For anyone experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.

References: Montana Family Killed; Girl Hero Details Emerge | Eight Family Members Killed in Montana; 12-Year-Old Called 911

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