2 Missing Children Found Safe After Suspect Discovered Dead

DREXEL HILL, Pa. (AP) — Two children taken from a Philadelphia-area home after a woman was slain were found safe in New York City early Thursday, and a man in a vehicle that was sought by police was found dead, authorities said.

Police were called around 2:30 a.m. Thursday to a home in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, where they found a blood trail on the front step. Inside the residence, they found the body of 28-year-old Christina Belajonas, who lived there with her sons, 5-year-old Robert and 4-year-old Christopher, according to Superintendent Michael Chitwood of Upper Darby police.

Chitwood said initial indications were that she had been shot in the head and had multiple stab wounds.

A neighbor reported seeing Keith Belajonas leaving the house with the boys.

"One of the two boys was overheard to say 'Is Mommy dead?'" Chitwood said.

An Amber Alert was issued. Around 6 a.m., the children were left at a CVS on Staten Island — about 100 miles from home. They appeared to be unharmed, but were taken to a hospital to be checked, New York City police Lt. Thomas Antonetti said.

A short time after the suspect left CVS, SWAT teams descended on a vehicle on a nearby Staten Island street. The man in the vehicle was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, Antonetti said. Chitwood said he was told it was the suspect.

Pennsylvania detectives were on their way to speak to the children.

"Apparently the older of the two is telling everybody about 'Daddy killed Mommy' type thing. So obviously that's very traumatic for them," Chitwood said.

Chitwood said authorities were investigating whether Keith Belajonas was responsible for a social media posting about a dispute with the victim.

"Had an argument with her. She was cheating on me. I won," the Facebook posting said, according to Chitwood.