In a quiet home in rural Ogema, Minnesota, on the White Earth Reservation, the life of four-year-old White/Caucasian male Frederick Elijah Freddy York came to a tragic end on March 18, 2019. The unexpected nature of his death sent ripples of sorrow through the community. Frederick, along with his nine-year-old brother, Shane Woods Jr., and their 28-year-old mother, Emma LaRoque, were discovered inside their residence after authorities received a report of a possible incident at the home.
The investigation that followed uncovered a devastating family tragedy. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Frederick and his brother both died as a result of homicidal violence. Their mother, Emma LaRoque, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and her death was ruled a suicide. The findings pointed to a double murder-suicide, with Emma LaRoque as the sole suspect in the deaths of her two children.
In the wake of the findings, law enforcement officials assured the public that there was no ongoing threat, as they believed the person responsible was deceased. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which assisted in the investigation, did not identify any additional suspects. No arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Frederick and his brother. The case left a community to mourn the profound loss of two young boys in a heartrending incident.
