Authorities said seven people's remains were discovered inside a home in a northwestern Minnesota on Sunday, but they didn't explain how they died.
Four adults and three children were among the victims, according to police. Family members conducting a welfare check at the residence in Moorhead discovered them just before 8 p.m. Saturday. Those members of the family contacted the authorities.
According to authorities, there were no signs of violence or forced entry into the home.
"This is an absolute horrible tragedy, made even more poignant since it is close to the holidays," Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson wrote in a statement sent to the Star Tribune. "My heart aches for the family and friends who received this devastating news over the weekend. Our community mourns with them during this heartbreaking time."
Autopsies will be performed on the bodies at the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office in St. Paul. The children were last seen Friday, neighbors said, according to the Associated Press.
Moorhead, Minnesota, is located near Fargo, North Dakota in a metropolitan region with a population of around 230,000 people. The investigation is still ongoing, according to Moorhead Police Capt. Deric Swanson, and more information, including the cause of death and the identities of the victims, will be disclosed later.
