Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, faces two counts of criminal homicide after police found her husband and their 3-year-old son dead in a Great Wolf Lodge hotel room in Scotrun. The case puts a family tragedy in the hands of investigators and prosecutors. Harrison is presumed innocent, and prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso said.
During the ambulance ride, Harrison allegedly said, “It wasn't supposed to end like this. I was supposed to have my happy family. That's what I envisioned since I was a child.” She also allegedly told emergency responders, “Every day, I work so hard. To be the best person, the best mother, the best wife,” before lamenting how things had ended.
The Room and the Police Response
Pocono Township police responded to room 2030 around 3:13 p.m. Oct. 12 after Harrison called dispatchers seeking help dying, according to an affidavit. Officers found her at the doorway with bleeding cuts on her wrist and puncture wounds around her neck. Investigators wrote that she told them she wanted to be with her husband and son.
Police found Charles Harrison with multiple stab wounds to his chest. Their son, identified in the complaint by his initials, appeared to have one stab wound to his chest. Officers took Harrison to St. Luke's Hospital's Monroe Campus in Stroudsburg for treatment.
Investigators reported finding a large kitchen knife on the bathroom floor and a smaller knife on the bathroom sink. Both had teal green handles. Resort staff told police the knives weren't the type kept by the lodge. Investigators also wrote that several medication bottles lay scattered throughout the room.
The Investigation and Its Limits
Police described the deaths as an isolated domestic tragedy, with no threat to the community. A resort spokesperson said responding officers quickly determined there was no ongoing security concern. Those assessments address public safety; they don't establish what happened or settle the criminal allegations against Harrison.
Lodge security information showed the family checked in Sept. 21 and extended its reservation on Oct. 5. Checkout was scheduled for Oct. 13. Surveillance video showed all three family members entering the room around 6:53 p.m. Sunday. The affidavit said Harrison and her husband later visited the arcade and returned to the room around 11:22 p.m.
Mancuso called the complaint “disturbing reading” and said investigators were continuing to gather evidence. “The investigation continues as we gather further evidence shedding light on the circumstances surrounding this horrendous situation,” he wrote. He thanked township officers, Pennsylvania State Police forensic investigators and the county coroner's office, describing the room as a “complex double homicide scene.”
The investigation now rests with law enforcement and prosecutors. Their account will face scrutiny against the evidence and the presumption of innocence. The source reports no community-led response, mutual-aid effort, or electoral or legislative proposal connected to the deaths.
The Resort's Statement
Great Wolf Lodge said it was “deeply saddened and heartbroken” by the deaths and was cooperating with investigators. “It was an isolated family incident, and we're cooperating fully with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation,” the resort said. “Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of those affected.”