Family tragedy in Rome / Couple suspected of killing their 5-year-old daughter with disabilities before taking their own lives, leaving behind shocking letters

A horrific incident has shaken the Italian capital after a couple and their 5-year-old daughter were found dead in the family’s apartment in the Pietralata area on the outskirts of Rome.

The alarm was raised around midday on Monday, August 31, when relatives of 42-year-old Luca Abbassiano and 41-year-old Valentina Pambianco were unable to reach them for several hours. At around 1:00 p.m., police and firefighters arrived at the apartment, forced open the door and found the bodies of the three family members in bed.

Authorities said that all three had suffered gunshot wounds. The preliminary version of the investigation is that the parents killed their minor daughter and then took their own lives.

Investigators found several letters near the bodies addressed to relatives and close acquaintances. The messages contained apologies, explanations and instructions about what should be done next. In one of them, Luca asked his sister, who had reported the family missing, to take care of their father.

Another message left by the couple contained the sentence: “We cannot do this alone.”

Bianca was born prematurely in 2021. According to Italian media, the girl had disabilities and suffered from numerous health problems.

Residents of the building told the media that the parents were very attached to their daughter, while her health condition had significantly worsened the family’s life.

“They loved this little girl very much, but she was born with many problems. They were afraid she would not live long, and all of this was exhausting them,” a neighbor said.