A 39-year-old woman and a juvenile girl were found dead Monday morning at a home in Highlands Ranch.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says their bodies were discovered about 7:30 a.m. on Crestmore Way.
Authorities say the crime scene was immediately secured by deputies and an investigation was launched.
“We’re very early on in this investigation,” said chief deputy Steve Johnson. “We still have a lot of interviews to do. We have a lot of things to put together.”
Investigators have identified the woman as Cristi Benavides, who they say was living at the home temporarily. The girl’s name and age have not been released.
The Douglas County School District, however, sent a letter home to parents on Monday night informing them of the death of Emma Benavides, a fifth-grader at Northridge Elementary School.
“This is a tragic loss and our hearts go out to Emma’s family and friends,” the letter said. “The Northridge and Douglas County School District communities are saddened for this loss. Please keep the Benavides family in your thoughts.”
The district said its crisis team would be working with school mental health professionals to provide support to students and staff.
Paula Hans, a school district spokeswoman, said she could not confirm if Emma was the juvenile girl found dead on Monday morning and referred questions to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities declined to release further details in the case, including if or how Benavides and the girl are related or what caused their deaths.
“At this time we do not believe there is any threat to the community,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “This is an open and active investigation.”
