The quiet town of Wolcottville, Indiana, has been left reeling after an unthinkable tragedy. On September 17th, a routine welfare call to a home on South Main Street ended with the devastating discovery of 32-year-old Rebecca Hughes and her three young daughters—Allison, 6, Evalynn, 8, and Amelia, 5—all deceased inside. The news has sent waves of sorrow through the close-knit community, leaving neighbors, friends, and family struggling to comprehend the loss. As the Indiana State Police continue their investigation, awaiting toxicology reports to determine the official cause of death, the girls’ father, Jonathan Newell, is speaking out about his profound grief and the memories of his beloved children.
In the days leading up to the tragedy, Jonathan had been preparing himself for a different kind of bad news. He confessed that he had braced himself for the possibility that Rebecca had left town with the girls, a fear based on her recent behavior. He had been working a demanding schedule of three shifts a day, all while faithfully attending court appearances to secure limited visitation rights—just one hour, twice a month—to spend precious time with his daughters. On that terrible day, he had just fallen asleep after an exhausting third shift when his mother’s frantic phone call woke him. He tried to calm her, assuring her that the kids and their mother were surely fine. It wasn’t until he saw a flood of alarming posts on social media that a deep sense of dread took hold.
He immediately called the police for information, but they were unable to disclose any details. Driven by a desperate need for answers, he decided to drive to Rebecca’s house himself, consequences be damned. But as he opened his own front door to leave, he found two police officers waiting for him. It was in that moment, standing in his own doorway, that he learned the horrific truth. Jonathan describes the grief that followed as a whirlwind of unbearable emotions. There are moments of sheer anger, he says, and depths of depression so dark he can barely function. At times, he feels completely detached from reality, his mind tricking him into believing he can just drive down the road to see them, only for the crushing reality to return.
Alongside the sorrow, Jonathan is wrestling with immense guilt, a feeling that he could have done more. He replays different scenarios in his head, wondering if a different choice, a different word, or a less exhausting work schedule could have changed the outcome. The community of Wolcottville has wrapped its arms around him in his darkest hour. An impromptu memorial of stuffed animals, flowers, and heartfelt notes has grown outside the family’s home. The grief is palpable among those who knew the family. One church member, Pam Laughlin, became physically ill upon hearing the news, her heart aching so deeply she wished she could have taken the girls’ place. She and others remember the three sisters as incredibly sweet and compassionate children.
