A festive gathering for a California family, just hours after welcoming a newborn, turned tragically violent when authorities reported that a mother in North Hills fatally shot her husband and two young children before taking her own life.
Marin Basmajian, age 30, shot her husband, Kajag Basmajian, 31, along with their two children—2-year-old Alec and 6-day-old Ella—inside their home on Rondelias Avenue just before 8 p.m. on May 27, per the Los Angeles Police Department.
Afterward, she turned the gun on herself.
According to officials, the family had been living temporarily with Kajag’s parents in North Hills due to safety concerns, but their living arrangements had recently changed.
This heartbreaking incident unfolded at Kajag’s parents’ house, where the couple had moved after experiencing two burglaries at their own home in Winnetka over the last two years.
Family members shared that the first break-in left Marin particularly shaken.
Following that incident, Kajag had purchased a handgun for protection, which ultimately ended up being the weapon used in the tragic event.
What adds to the distressing nature of this case is the celebration that occurred the night before the violence took place.
Relatives described a joyful gathering to mark baby Ella’s birth, filled with music, pizza, and dancing.
Arthur Shamlian, Marin’s younger brother, recalled the atmosphere saying, “They were all at their families’ houses, dancing, eating pizza, listening to music. My family is very close.”
Now, in the aftermath, family members are grappling with the shock and trying to understand what led to this horrific outcome.
Some are speculating that Marin might have been dealing with severe postpartum psychosis, a condition that can manifest after childbirth, leading to a disconnection from reality, hallucinations, and drastic mood swings.
“The only thing we can think of is postpartum depression, because what she did was not like her,” Shamlian reflected. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy in North Hills is ongoing.
