Boy, 9, Clings to Life After He's Shot in Head by Dad

A Massachusetts boy is fighting for his life after he and his 7-year-old sister were shot in the head by their suicidal father, said law enforcement authorities. Police found Daryl Benway, 41, and daughter Abigail dead in the master bedroom of their Oxford home. Owen Benway, 9, was found still alive in the kitchen, reports the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. He was rushed to the pediatric intensive care unit at a local hospital.

"It doesn't get much worse than this. It is a horrible scene," the local district attorney said at a press conference. Benway, who has no criminal record, separated from his wife a few weeks ago and recently lost his job, according to police. His brother, who lives on the first floor of the home, called police when he heard the shots. "It's a surprise to everyone," said a cousin. "It had to be sheer desperation." (More Massachusetts stories.)