By Elizabeth Ferszt
Contributing Writer
On Wednesday April 29, 2026, a Fennville mom allegedly shot her 10-year-old son and then took her own life in their Allegan County home.
Elisha Mulcahey and her son Daniel were found dead by Allegan County Sheriff deputies — allegedly by gunshot, just two days before Elisha’s mother petitioned the probate court in Allegan County for law enforcement to pick up and bring into protective custody — her daughter for mental health treatment.
In the filing the mother wrote that her daughter had made “concerning statements,” and was believed to be off her prescription medications. A judge did sign an order “directing officers to take Elisha in for a mental health evaluation,” citing a liaison with OnPoint, a community mental health provider, according to local media and court sources.
But this petition was not served successfully, although, “there had been a couple attempts, I think one or two attempts,” said Sheriff Frank Baker, “to pick her up prior to us arriving Wednesday.” But in the meantime, Elisha Mulcahey had access to firearms in the house, and used them to shoot her son, then turned a gun on herself.
According to Baker, when deputies arrived, they “began to suspect something suspicious,” and went around the back of the home to look into the windows, where they saw the bodies. “They forced entry” based on exigent circumstances, “and they found the individuals deceased.”
Baker stated that anyone can petition the Probate Court for a protective order when they are experiencing a mental health crisis.
According to QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), a suicide prevention training program in Ingham County, family members and loved ones, and/or law enforcement are supposed to “make suicide hard” — by removing anything in the home that a person in crisis could use to terminate their lives — especially guns.
Additionally, so-called “red-flag laws” and Extreme Risk Protection Orders make it temporarily illegal for a person who has been petitioned to own a firearm during a designated period of time. According to the State of Michigan Attorney General’s office website, “These orders (ERPO) let civil courts temporarily prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from possessing or buying guns.”
Baker said that they are treating the case as a homicide, “until it’s officially closed,” while they “await autopsy and toxicology reports,” from the medical examiner.
Authorities also stated that official notification (of the death of the mother and son) will be handled by the ME’s office; so far, the father has not been notified. “I know they’ve been trying to track down the father, but as of Thursday (April 29), they had been unsuccessful,” Baker said.
Daniel had been taken out of Fennville Public Schools and was being homeschooled only recently, according to online sources.
Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker later stated in an email on May 3 that they “have not released the info regarding the mother (of Elisha Mulcahey) as she is one of witnesses interviewed as part of our investigation. I know some news outlets have FOIA requests submitted (for her name) that are under review and will be responded to through the FOIA process. Some news agencies may have received that info through a search of probate court documents.”
In regard to the issue about Elisha having access to firearms, while possibly also in a mental health crisis, Baker stated, “Regarding the ‘red flag’ law question, if you mean an extreme risk protection order (ERPO), that is a personal protection order that someone would have to petition the court. ERPO orders approved by the judge would be served on an individual and it would likely have a firearm provision. I am not aware of any ERPO order in place regarding the mother (Elisha).”
Call or text 988 if you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24/7 and is free call.
