Murdered Rhode Island pregnant mother, two children being remembered as online fundraiser created

A Rhode Island mother and children killed in a murder suicide are being remembered.

39-year-old Danielle Lynne Arruda as well as her two young children were killed by her husband/their father in West Greenwich last week.

According to a GoFundMe fundraiser, Danielle was loving, smart, caring and the funniest person you’ll ever meet.

“She would light up any room she walked in and always had the best stories to share and the best solutions if you came to her with a problem. She extended those same attributes to her beautiful, wonderful children as well. They were bright, hilarious, playful, and just little rays of sunshine. She was a mother, an only daughter, first grandchild, wife, niece, cousin, and friend. They were loved and cherished by so many, and they will be missed immensely.”

According to Police Chief Richard Ramsay, at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Friday, officers responded to Cheyenne Trail in West Greenwich for a wellbeing check on Danielle Arruda who had not reported to work.

Officers found suspicious circumstances at the home and had to force entry into the locked house. Once inside, they located four bodies in the home. All had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. 

Arruda, the owner of the home who was 7 months pregnant, her two young children (5 and 2), and husband 39-year-old Nicholas Arruda were all found deceased.

The investigation revealed that Nicholas killed his wife and two young children by multiple gunshot wounds with a legally purchased semi-automatic M4 style weapon before turning the gun on himself.

Police stated that all indications are that the couple loved each other and their children.

The father was homeschooling both children.

Chief Ramsay stated that they may never know what led to the murder-suicide and police had no prior responses to the home that was purchased in 2019.

Services have not yet been announced.