Medical examiner: Deaths of family found to be murder-suicide

MONTICELLO — The April deaths of a Monticello mother and her two young children at a park in Ramsey were found to be the result of murder-suicide, according to the medical examiner.

The Midwest Medical Examiner Office Wednesday released the causes of death in the incident April 8 at Rum River Central Regional Park, in which police found a 33-year-old woman dead inside an SUV along with her 9-year-old daughter. Another child, a 4-year-old boy, was injured in the incident, but died at the hospital later.

The victims were Monticello residents Jessica Linette Holum, 33, Solara Rea Frank, 9, and Laiken Lea Frank, 4.

The autopsy report shows that all three individuals were killed by gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Midwest Medical Examiner Office’s report.

The children’s deaths were ruled homicides and Holum’s death was determined to be a suicide.

Solara was a third-grade student at Twin Lakes Elementary School in Elk River and her brother Laiken attended Discovery Learning preschool, according to Elk River school officials.

Celebration of life services were held for the two children April 20 in Elk River, while services for Holum were held April 26 in Monticello.

A fundraiser to support the family with funeral expenses and living expenses for surviving members has been set up on Spotfund.com, and can be accessed at https://shorturl.at/jlpIM . More than $66,000 has been raised so far.