(Photo/ The Elkhart Truth)

ELKHART — UPDATE: Elkhart Police have released a statement saying that they believe a 12 year old girl was responsible for setting a fire in her bedroom of an apartment in Elkhart and stabbing family members during an argument.

“At this time it appears a 12 year old girl was upset and started a fire in her bedroom, leading to a verbal altercation between the girl and her stepmother. The altercation turned deadly when the girl allegedly stabbed the stepmother with a knife, which is believed to be the cause of death.

“When the girl’s father tried to restrain the daughter he was also stabbed with the knife. After being involved in the altercation the girl fled from the residence.

“Elkhart Police officers, detectives and deputies from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department searched the area and located the 12 year old girl walking in the area of Bristol, Indiana. The girl was taken into custody, and is being held in the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center pending a hearing.”

An autopsy was conducted Friday morning, July 24, on Maria Torres. The coroner determined that she died from sharp force injuries. The manner of death was ruled homicide.

INITIAL POST: The Elkhart Police Department and coroner’s office are investigating a homicide after one person was found dead and another was taken to the hospital in Elkhart Thursday night, July 23.

The fire department was called to the 900 block of Prairie Street in Elkhart just after 10 p.m. July 23. There, they entered an apartment and were able to quickly put out a small fire in a bedroom.

Inside the apartment, they found Maria Torres, 50, who had been stabbed multiple times. She later died from her injuries. A 49-year-old man was also found with non-life threatening stab wounds and transported to Elkhart General Hospital. A 16-year-old girl who was also in the apartment was uninjured.

Police believe the incident was isolated. An autopsy will be conducted on Torres as the matter is investigated further.

Source: WNDU