GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP — Eight members of the Karolkiewicz family were found dead in a house fire in Grand Haven Township, Michigan. The victims included two adults and six children aged 5 to 15.

Deputies with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters from the Grand Haven Fire Department responded to the residence on Riverside Trail at approximately 11:40 a.m. local time. Firefighters entered the smoke-filled home to extinguish the fire and discovered the bodies inside.

Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jacob Prompts described the initial entry by emergency personnel. "Units made entry inside to battle the fire because there was smoke showing from the residence. When they got inside, they noticed that there were several people deceased inside the home," Prompts said.

The residence is located in the 14900 block of Riverside Trail in Grand Haven Township. Grand Haven Township is located just outside the city of Grand Haven and about 20 miles south of Muskegon, Michigan. The township has a population of approximately 18,000, according to local government demographic data.

First responders received reports of a smell of smoke between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. but did not locate an active fire. Callers reported white smoke emanating from the home around noon on Friday.

Authorities described the fire as "suspicious" and indicated there was reason to believe it was intentionally set. At least some of the victims had gunshot wounds. "Some of the victims did have gunshot wounds to their bodies," Prompts said.

Investigators are considering murder-suicide as a theory but have not confirmed it. Authorities are not currently looking for any suspects from outside the home. He said, "We believe that everybody who was involved in the situation is in the residence."

Prompts cautioned against premature conclusions regarding the nature of the incident. "It's too early for me to say that it's a murder-suicide. I can tell you that's one theory that we have and we're still looking to see if we can verify that," he said.

"It’s a complicated scene, a complex scene," he said. "I don’t want to jump to any conclusions at this point." Michigan State Police arson investigators are assisting in the investigation. Autopsies are scheduled to be completed over the weekend.

Relatives identified the adult victims as Amanda "Mandy" Karolkiewicz, 39, and Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47. Amanda Karolkiewicz was a substitute teacher for Grand Haven Area Public Schools at Peach Plains Elementary School. She had been married to her husband for around 16 years.

Grand Haven Area Public Schools has a student enrollment of approximately 3,500 students across its district, according to the 2025-2026 annual report. Grand Haven Area Public Schools Superintendent Kristin Perowski addressed the loss. "Regardless of the details that may emerge, this is a devastating incident and a tragic loss for our community. Our hearts are with all those impacted, and we know many throughout our community may be grieving and struggling to process this news, Perowski said."

Molly Cessna, a sister of Amanda Karolkiewicz, expressed grief on social media. My little sister Mandy, her husband, and my six nieces and nephews. Everything’s just blurry. Please continue to pray, friends. Please continue to pray as we try and piece everything together. Our hearts are utterly shattered. Tragic doesn’t even touch it," Cessna wrote on Facebook."

Property records from the Ottawa County Clerk's office reportedly valued the Karolkiewicz family's residence on Riverside Trail at $750,000. The death of eight family members, including six children, represents a significant loss for Grand Haven Township, a community of approximately 18,000 people. The involvement of both firearms and fire, along with the suspicious nature of the blaze, has prompted a multi-agency investigation involving local sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and state police arson experts.

The identification of Amanda Karolkiewicz as a substitute teacher within the Grand Haven Area Public Schools district, which serves approximately 3,500 students, extends the impact of the tragedy to the local educational community. Authorities have stated they are not searching for outside suspects, focusing their investigation on the events within the home on Riverside Trail.