Father, 9-year-old daughter killed in apparent murder-suicide
AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) – Authorities believe a father killed his 9-year-old daughter before turning the gun on himself in their southwest Travis County home Monday morning.
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office says Lielle Kaplan’s death appears to be a homicide while Yariv Kaplan’s, 42, gunshot wound appears to be self-inflicted.
Deputies were originally sent to the home in the 8000 block of El Dorado Drive at around 5:44 a.m. Dec. 11 for a check welfare call. When they entered the home, they found the bodies of the father and child – both with gunshot wounds.
According to Travis County court records, Kaplan was going through a divorce and fighting for custody of his daughter. The next hearing in the family’s case was set for January.
The child attended the Austin Waldorf School. A neighbor tells KXAN the family was from Israel.