An 11-year-old girl played dead before escaping after 5 family members were killed at their Washington state home

For days this week, authorities have been investigating the gruesome, fatal shootings of five people in Fall City, Washington. Now, the girl’s account, detailed in court documents, is giving a first glimpse into what unfolded.

The 11-year-old recalled waking up Monday to the sound of gunshots. When she looked outside her bedroom door, she saw her father, Mark Humiston, with blood on his head and her 9-year-old brother with blood in his mouth – both laying on the floor of the hallway, according to court documents.

When her 7-year-old sister walked out of their shared bedroom, the 11-year-old said she heard another gunshot, before seeing her younger sister fall to the floor, the documents say.

She told investigators the shooter then came to her bedroom and fired his weapon once or twice, hitting her hand and neck.

Despite the pain she felt from the bullet’s impact, the 11-year-old told authorities she recognized the weapon. It was her father’s silver Glock handgun, court documents say.

And she recognized the shooter, too. It was her 15-year-old brother, she said.

The 11-year-old recalled seeing her brother approaching the bodies of her other family members to see if they were alive, and pretending to play dead herself when he stood next to her bed.

Their mother, Sarah Huminston, and their 13-year-old brother had been shot and killed elsewhere in the house, authorities said.

The girl told investigators she escaped through a “fire window” in her room after her brother left the room and she overheard him talking on the phone. She ran to a neighbor’s home, where they called 911 just after 5 a.m. to report the shooting and the 15-year-old as the shooter, court documents say.

But it wasn’t the first call 911 received about the shooting that morning.

Seven minutes prior, the 15-year-old had called for help himself, sounding out of breath and stating he was hiding in a bathroom, according to court documents. He told a 911 operator his 13-year-old brother had killed their family and committed suicide, court documents say.

The 13-year-old had been caught looking at pornography the night before and he was about to get in a lot of trouble, the 15-year-old told the 911 operator as a possible motive for the shooting, according to court documents.

The 15-year-old was detained when authorities arrived to the home. On Thursday, he was charged in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm enhancement, according to court documents. CNN is not naming the 15-year-old because he is a juvenile.

US
An 11-year-old girl played dead before escaping after 5 family members were killed at their Washington state home
By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN
5 minute read
Updated 7:29 PM EDT, Fri October 25, 2024
Authorities responded to the Fall City, Washington, home on October 21 after receiving 911 calls.
Authorities responded to the Fall City, Washington, home on October 21 after receiving 911 calls. KING
CNN
—
An 11-year-old in Washington state fled home in the early morning hours to escape a shooting that left her bloodied and wounded, and killed her entire family.

For days this week, authorities have been investigating the gruesome, fatal shootings of five people in Fall City, Washington. Now, the girl’s account, detailed in court documents, is giving a first glimpse into what unfolded.

The 11-year-old recalled waking up Monday to the sound of gunshots. When she looked outside her bedroom door, she saw her father, Mark Humiston, with blood on his head and her 9-year-old brother with blood in his mouth – both laying on the floor of the hallway, according to court documents.

When her 7-year-old sister walked out of their shared bedroom, the 11-year-old said she heard another gunshot, before seeing her younger sister fall to the floor, the documents say.

She told investigators the shooter then came to her bedroom and fired his weapon once or twice, hitting her hand and neck.

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Despite the pain she felt from the bullet’s impact, the 11-year-old told authorities she recognized the weapon. It was her father’s silver Glock handgun, court documents say.

And she recognized the shooter, too. It was her 15-year-old brother, she said.

The 11-year-old recalled seeing her brother approaching the bodies of her other family members to see if they were alive, and pretending to play dead herself when he stood next to her bed.

Their mother, Sarah Huminston, and their 13-year-old brother had been shot and killed elsewhere in the house, authorities said.

Two 911 calls about the same shooting
The girl told investigators she escaped through a “fire window” in her room after her brother left the room and she overheard him talking on the phone. She ran to a neighbor’s home, where they called 911 just after 5 a.m. to report the shooting and the 15-year-old as the shooter, court documents say.

But it wasn’t the first call 911 received about the shooting that morning.

Seven minutes prior, the 15-year-old had called for help himself, sounding out of breath and stating he was hiding in a bathroom, according to court documents. He told a 911 operator his 13-year-old brother had killed their family and committed suicide, court documents say.

The 13-year-old had been caught looking at pornography the night before and he was about to get in a lot of trouble, the 15-year-old told the 911 operator as a possible motive for the shooting, according to court documents.

The 15-year-old was detained when authorities arrived to the home. On Thursday, he was charged in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm enhancement, according to court documents. CNN is not naming the 15-year-old because he is a juvenile.

Under Washington state law, a hearing is required and a judge’s approval is needed before the case can be moved into adult court. In a Friday hearing, prosecutors formally requested the teen’s case to be moved to adult court, a process that typically takes months before a final decision is made.

If found guilty and his case remains in juvenile court, he could be held until age 25 with no further sanctions, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. If he’s convicted and charged in an adult court, the teen could be sentenced to 25 years to life with a statutory presumption of release after 25 years.

“I would remind everyone that these are not proven facts, merely allegations, and the law presumes our client is innocent of these charges,” Amy Parker, an attorney representing the teen, told CNN. “We want the court to know that our client is a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal history.”

Investigators believe the 15-year-old “systematically murdered” his parents, two brothers and one of his sisters; attempted to kill his 11-year-old sister, and “staged” the crime scene before first responders arrived, according to the court documents.

The 11-year-old girl told a 911 operator her eldest brother had recently been in “a lot of trouble” for failing some tests at school, and later told investigators he was the only sibling who knew the combination to the lockbox where their father stored his firearm, court documents say.

Since the shooting, the 11-year-old was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle but she has since been released, a hospital spokeswoman told CNN.

A local family member has stepped forward to care for the 11-year-old and the elder sibling, who remains in custody, King County Council member Sarah Perry told CNN.

“At this time, I ask you to join me in holding all family members, the community members of Lake Alice and Fall City, and others impacted by this terrible situation, in your heart with prayers of peace and healing,” Perry said in a statement.

This year, there have been at least 427 mass shootings in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one that injures or kills four or more people, not including the shooter.

Gun violence is the leading cause of death among minors in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over 1,100 children and teens died in mass shootings this year alone, according to the archive.

Earlier this week, the court ordered the 15-year-old to have no contact with his surviving sister, according to Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Mark and Sarah Humiston were home schooling their children, and were very active in the community, neighbors told KING.

CNN has reached out to Hargis Engineers, where Mark was employed.

“We are blindsided and saddened by the tragic events that have led to the loss of a respected colleague, mentor, and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members,” the company shared in a statement to KING about his passing. “Mark’s leadership and vision were integral within our firm, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”