Mother and children found hanged

Three young girls and their mother have been found hanged in a mobile home in Texas, US police have said.

Another child, an eight-month-old girl, survived after being discovered dangling by the neck.

Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said that while the four deaths in the trailer park, west of Fort Worth, appeared to be murder and suicide, they could not saying anything definitive pending the results of autopsies.

He said there were no signs of struggle or trauma, suggesting that the mother had hanged her children and then taken her own life.

Sheriff Fowler identified the mother as Gilberta Estrada, 25. All of the victims were found in a closet by her sister.

And in a grisly twist, Sheriff Fowler said the mother could have stopped the hangings at any time because her feet were touching the floor.

Sheriff Fowler said the dead girls were believed to be age five, three and two.

Neighbour Vicky Montgomery said: "I believe she was a good mother. The kids were always clean and playing outside. She seemed very dedicated."

Her partner, Richard Lamb, added: "She always took her kids to the bus in the morning and always had lunch for them."

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