Neighbour of mother who killed husband and children in murder-suicide said they were a 'perfect family'

Warning: This article contains content which some readers may find distressing.

Residents have told of their sorrow after the bodies of a 'perfect family' were discovered following what police suspect was a murder-suicide.

Officers in the US state of New Hampshire found Emily Long dead alongside her husband Ryan and two of their children on Monday (18 August).

The 34-year-old mum is thought to have shot her spouse and the two youngsters, aged eight and six, before turning the gun on herself 'immediately thereafter', police said.

A three-year-old child was also found in the family home in Madbury, who was unharmed.

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Ryan had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while the two children and Emily were each killed by a single bullet to the head.

According to reports, the dad had been diagnosed with glioblastoma prior to his death, which is an aggressive form of brain cancer.

The Long family were found dead at their home in Madbury, New Hampshire (Facebook)

Emily had started posting a 'digital diary' of her life on social media, dubbing herself a 'brain cancer wife' and openly discussing the trials and tribulations of caring for her seriously ill husband.

Ryan's diagnosis was terminal, according to the Daily Mail.

In her final TikTok post, Emily spoke about how she had been struggling to come to terms with her husband's ailing health.

"All I want to do is hide under a blanket with my kids, but that isn't healthy for them and it's not healthy for me," the mum said. "Today, I decided I need to make a conscious effort to shift my mindset.

"I'm getting out of this depression, whether I want to or not. I am determined to create normalcy...I’m trying to get myself out of the rut, our kids are definitely struggling."

In a clip shared back in May, Emily heartbreakingly said: "Want to watch someone actually fall apart before your very eyes? I swear, this cancer will be the thing that breaks me."

Despite the mum discussing her family's struggles and circumstances candidly online, those who lived among the Longs on Moharimet Drive said they have been left stunned by their deaths.

Residents said they 'didn't see' the tragedy coming despite the dad's health struggles (CBS News)

"It was shocking," neighbour Bevy Ketel told CBS News. "It was a perfect family as far as we knew."

Describing the tragedy as 'so sad', she paid tribute to Ryan and remarked that he 'touched a lot of lives' in the town of Madbury, adding: "He was part of the fabric of the community and his family goes along with it."

Ketel said she had recently seen the Long children setting up a lemonade stand on their suburban street to sell beverages to locals.

"It's just like that kind of idyllic summer day, and then this," the resident went on. "How does it go from that to this? It's just shocking. We didn't see it coming."

Autopsies are set to take place in the coming days, according to Attorney General Formella.

"While the investigation is still ongoing, there is no known threat to the general public at this time," he added.

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.