Officials: 2 girls found dead in Ohio house fire asphyxiated

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities say two girls found dead inside a home that exploded and caught fire in January were either strangled or smothered to death.

The Summit County medical examiner also said today that the girls’ mother died of a Prozac overdose and the father, 43-year-old Jeffrey Mather, died of burns. Authorities say he set the fire using gasoline.

All four bodies were found inside the Northfield Center Township home south of Cleveland.

A medical examiner’s investigator says it’s unclear if 43-year-old Cynthia Mather killed herself or was deliberately poisoned. He says it couldn’t be determined who killed 8-year-old Ruthie Mather and 12-year-old Alyson Mather.

Authorities have said Jeffrey Mather was found in his car with a shotgun at a park in December and told rangers he was depressed and suicidal.