In a small town called Wolcottville, Indiana, a tragedy struck that left the whole community heartbroken. Inside a quiet home on South Main Street, police made a discovery that no one could have ever imagined: a mother and her three little girls were found dead.
On the morning of September 17, officers from the Wolcottville Police Department were sent to the house for a welfare check. Concerned neighbors had reported not seeing the family for a while. At around 11:20 a.m., the officers walked inside the home and were met with a devastating scene—four lives gone.
The victims were identified by the Noble County Coroner as Rebecca Hughes, only 32 years old, and her three young daughters: Evalynn (8), Allison (6), and Amelia (5).
The case was immediately handed over to the Indiana State Police, and autopsies were carried out. However, the exact causes of death and toxicology results were still pending. Police have assured the public there is no ongoing danger, but they have remained tight-lipped about the details, leaving the community desperate for answers.
A Father’s Pain
Among the people most shattered by this tragedy was the girls’ father, Jonathan Newell. His voice shook when he shared what he went through that day.
Before hearing the news, Jonathan admitted he thought Rebecca might have simply left with the kids.
“I had prepared myself to think that she had ran with the kids,” he explained. “She didn’t show up. She’d done some other stuff that would sort of indicate that she wasn’t going to go along with it.”
Jonathan had been fighting for more time with his daughters. He had asked for just one hour twice a month for visitation, but even that was a struggle. Despite working three grueling shifts a day, he never missed a court hearing. He was trying, desperately, to be present in his girls’ lives.
On the morning police made the grim discovery, Jonathan had just finished his third shift. He collapsed into bed, exhausted. Moments later, his mother called him, her voice frantic. Jonathan tried to calm her down, saying softly, “Don’t worry, she’s fine, the kids are fine.”
But then he saw worrying posts appear on Facebook. Panic set in. He quickly called the police to ask what was happening, but they wouldn’t reveal anything over the phone. Desperate, Jonathan decided he would drive to Rebecca’s house himself.
Just as he was leaving, he opened his front door—and two officers were standing there. In that instant, his world shattered. They told him the truth: his daughters were gone.
Grief, Anger, and Endless “What Ifs”
In a heartbreaking interview, Jonathan tried to describe his emotions.
“Sometimes you’re mad. Sometimes you’re sad. Other times you’re so dissociated you don’t even feel like you’re there,” he admitted.
He said that sometimes his mind plays tricks on him. He would suddenly feel like his daughters were still alive, just down the road at their mom’s house, waiting for him to visit. But then reality would slam back—his girls weren’t there anymore.
Jonathan also confessed to carrying a heavy burden of guilt.
“What I get most is the guilt,” he whispered. “I feel like there’s a lot that can be blamed on me.”
He tortured himself with endless “what ifs.” What if he hadn’t been so tired? What if he had said something different? What if he had fought harder? Deep down, he knew the tragedy wasn’t his fault, but the questions haunted him every day.
A Community in Mourning
The news shook Wolcottville to its core. Friends, neighbors, and even strangers created a memorial outside Rebecca’s house. They placed teddy bears, flowers, candles, and heartfelt letters for the three little girls.
Pam Laughlin, who went to the same church as Rebecca and the girls, broke down in tears as she spoke:
“I threw up my breakfast because my heart hurt for these kids,” she said. “I wish it could’ve been me instead of the girls.”
Another neighbor, Greg Williams, remembered seeing Rebecca just a few days earlier.
“I saw her mowing the lawn that Friday,” he recalled. “The next thing you know, the whole family’s gone.” Shaking his head, he added, “I just feel sorry for the kids’ dad.”
The whole community pulled together. When Jonathan set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his daughters’ funerals, donations poured in. His initial goal was $30,000. Within only 12 hours, people had already given more than that. Soon, the amount climbed to over $45,000, with messages of love and support from strangers across the country.
Jonathan wept as he read the comments.
“People who didn’t even know me or my kids started just giving money and sending messages,” he said. “This is really the last thing I get to do for them.”
He later posted a message of thanks:
“Thank you all, this is way more than I could ask. If any of you need help ever, I’m there for you. Please don’t be offended if I haven’t got to you yet—I’ve had a lot to do today for the girls.”
Remembering Rebecca Too
While much of the community grieved for the children, Rebecca’s close friend Ashley McAtee wanted people to remember that Rebecca was also gone—and she, too, had a story.
On Facebook, Ashley wrote:
“Since I’ve not seen one post with Rebecca Hughes’ picture or anyone showing any respect for her being gone as well as her 3 daughters, I’m gonna post a couple I have found.”
Ashley reminded people not to jump to conclusions about Rebecca’s actions.
“It’s a tragic situation, and no one knows exactly why or what was going on in detail,” she said.
She described Rebecca as a loving mom who may have been silently struggling.
“Rebecca did love her kids, and unfortunately I don’t think anyone was there for her as she was going through something, mentally and emotionally,” Ashley explained.
Rebecca, she said, was “quiet and shy” around strangers but “funny and bubbly” with her friends. She wanted people to remember Rebecca not just for the tragedy, but for the person she was.
Turning Pain Into Purpose
Even while drowning in grief, Jonathan has tried to turn this tragedy into a message of hope for others. He now speaks openly about mental health, urging parents to seek help before it’s too late.
“If you feel like you’re struggling at all, get help,” he begged in an interview. “You can call me. I’ll answer. We’ll talk it out.”
In another moment, his voice broke as he made a plea to all parents:
“If you are a parent, and you have kids, and you need help, then get it. Because you don’t know when it’s going to be the last time you can.”
The investigation into the deaths of Rebecca Hughes and her daughters is still ongoing, and many questions remain unanswered. But one thing is certain: the people of Wolcottville will never forget Evalynn, Allison, and Amelia.
And their father, Jonathan, is determined to keep their memory alive—by helping others, by speaking out, and by making sure his little girls are remembered not for the tragedy of their deaths, but for the joy and light they brought into the world.