AT CRIME SCENE KARK

UPDATE: Police have now released identifies from the police call Sunday in Birchwood in which a 39-year-old man apparently killed his 4-year-old daughter, Catherine,and 5-year-old-son, Joseph, and then himself.

The release:

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On 08/20/2017 at approximately 1120 hours Officers were dispatched to 11305 Birchwood Drive on a possible suicide attempt call. While enroute officers were advised that the father had possible killed his two children and he was also deceased. Upon arrival officers made contact with Lindsay Mangan who stated that her children were deceased inside the house with their father. Officers then located an adult male victim and two small children in a bed together. All three were obviously deceased.

Homicide Detectives and CSSU personnel responded to the scene. There was no obvious trauma seen on the children. The homicide victims are juveniles and the Little Rock Police Department will not be releasing their identity. The suicide victim was identified as Robert Mangan, W/M, 10/20/1977 of Little Rock. All three bodies were taken to the medical examiner for autopsies to determine the exact cause of death.

Homicide detectives interviewed the mother of the children and another subject who lives at the residence. She stated that she returned home to find her four and five year old children in bed with their father, Mangan, and all three were deceased. She also stated that she and Mangan had recently separated and they had been having problems.

The next of kin has been notified. At this time the deaths are being investigated as a double homicide and suicide. The investigation is ongoing

In response to a question, the police said a gun was not used. They also subsequently provided the names of the children.

The police had indicated Sunday they’d made calls to the home on Birchwood Drive before on account of domestic violence. The mother of the slain children reportedly called police to the home though the incident report released today said police had received a call about a possible suicide from a 53-year-old man who also lives at the address. Neighbors also told KARK about past police calls to the home and conflict between husband and wife.

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The public record reflects at least two domestic events related to Robert Mangan, 39 at the Birchwood Drive address..

Police have now confirmed he is the man suspected in the killings, Mangan was arrested Aug. 5 on a third-degree felony domestic battery charge and ordered not to contact his wife, Lindsay, on Aug. 7. He posted a $5,000 bond to be released from jail. At that time, his wife completed a threat assessment form that said he had threatened to kill her. A police report said he’d been the “primary aggressor” in a case of battery in which there was visible injury.

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He was arrested June 22, 2016 on a third-degree misdemeanor domestic battering charge. He then was charged Sept. 11, 2016 with violation of a no-contact order. He pleaded no contest Sept. 27, 2016 to the battery charge, found guilty and placed on probation. He was ordered not to contact his wife. The no-contact order later was vacated “per victim,” according to court records.

He was cited in January 2017 for contempt of court for failure to complete anger management courses required as a condition of his probation. But the charge was later dismissed.

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Robert Mangan also was cited in April this year for not having two children properly restrained in car seats. A summary on the court docket said his vehicle was traveling south on Broadway. “There were 2 small kids both in buster seats hanging out the window. I approached vehicle and they weren’t in their seat correctly hanging out the window.” The court docket said a trial was scheduled in that case last Thursday, but no outcome is listed.

I asked the state Department of Human Services if its child protective services had received any calls about the family, as a couple of sources have reported. The response: “Due to confidentiality, DHS cannot confirm or deny involvement.” I will repeat what I’ve said before: This is wrong. State agency response is a measure of effectiveness. It also quickly puts rumors to rest if they’ve had no involvement.

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