Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, faces two counts of criminal homicide after police found her husband, Charles Harrison, and their 3-year-old son dead in a Great Wolf Lodge hotel room in Scotrun. Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso said Harrison is presumed innocent, and prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
What Police Found
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 Harrison told officers she wanted to be with her husband and son.
Police found Charles Harrison with multiple stab wounds to his chest. Their son, identified by his initials in the complaint, appeared to have one stab wound to his chest. Officers took Harrison to St. Luke's Hospital's Monroe Campus in Stroudsburg for treatment.
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.
Investigators wrote that several medication bottles lay scattered throughout the room. They also found a large kitchen knife on the bathroom floor and a smaller knife on the bathroom sink. Both knives had teal green handles. Resort staff told police they weren't the type of knives the lodge kept.
The Family's Stay
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, according to the affidavit.
Harrison and her husband later visited the arcade and returned to the room around 11:22 p.m., the affidavit said. The article doesn't provide further details about their activities at the resort after that return or about what happened before Harrison called dispatchers on Oct. 12.
Investigation and Statements
Mancuso called the complaint "disturbing reading" and said investigators continued gathering evidence. "The investigation continues as we gather further evidence shedding light on the circumstances surrounding this horrendous situation," he wrote.
Mancuso thanked Pocono Township officers, Pennsylvania State Police forensic investigators and the county coroner's office. He described the room as a "complex double homicide scene." The affidavit records officers' observations and alleged statements attributed to Harrison; the criminal counts remain accusations, and Mancuso said prosecutors must establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 in a statement. It added, "Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of those affected."
A resort spokesperson said responding officers quickly determined there was no ongoing security concern. Police also described the deaths as an isolated domestic tragedy and said there was no threat to the community. Mancuso said the investigation continued.