Six family members are under arrest in connection to the murder of another family. Eight members of the Rhoden family were killed in their home in 2016. Four members of the Wagner family are charged with aggravated murder, and two others are accused of helping cover it up. Investigators say the family conspired to kill the Rhoden family over the custody of a young child. </s> Four members of a family have been arrested in connection with the brutal, execution-style murders of seven adults and one teen at a home in Ohio in 2016, the state’s attorney general announced Tuesday.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the suspects, a husband, wife, and their two adult sons, were arrested in connection with the Rhoden family murders.

“Following an extensive investigation by my office’s #OhioBCI and the #PikeCounty Sheriff’s Office, we have arrested four people accused of the murders of eight people in Pike County on April 22, 2016,” DeWine said on Twitter.

The Ohio A.G. release identified the suspects as George “Billy” Wagner III, Angela Wagner, and sons George Wagner IV and Edward “Jake” Wagner.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. </s> Years after eight family members were slaughtered in their southern Ohio homes, multiple arrests have been made in connection to the gruesome killings.

On Tuesday, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader and Pike County Prosecutor Rob Junk announced that four people — a husband, wife, and their two adult sons — were taken into custody for their alleged roles with the murders.

“We promised the victims’ families that the day would come when this case would be solved, and today is that day,” DeWine said in a statement. “The indictments allege that these suspects developed a calculated plan to execute the victims in the middle of the night and then carefully cover their tracks. Their alleged plan was sophisticated, but not sophisticated enough for our team of investigators and prosecutors.”

On April 22, 2016, seven adults and one teenage boy — all members of the Rhoden family — were fatally shot in four separate properties in rural Piketon, Ohio. Three of those properties contained marijuana-growing operations, and at the time, DeWine described the killings as a “preplanned execution” and a “sophisticated operation.”
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The victims were shot execution-style and all but one had been shot multiple times and showed signs of bruising, the Hamilton County Coroner said in a report previously obtained by PEOPLE.

The murders became the largest and most complex homicide investigation in the state’s history, remaining unsolved until Tuesday when George “Billy” Wagner III, 47, Angela Wagner, 48, George Wagner IV, 27, and Edward “Jake” Wagner, 26, of South Webster were all taken into custody.

RELATED: Little Boy Who Survived 2016 Massacre That Killed 8 Relatives Still Has Nightmares: ‘Fear Has Him’

The Wagners have each been charged with eight counts of aggravated murder — one count for each victim who was murdered — with death penalty specifications, according to the news release. They also face a total of nine other charges including conspiracy, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, unlawful possession of a dangerous ordinance, and aggravated burglary.

In addition, Edward “Jake” Wagner was charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. According to the news release, Jake allegedly had sex with Hanna May Rhoden when she was 15 and he was 20. The two conceived a child together, a daughter, who was staying with the Wagners on the night of the murders.

Angela Wagner’s mother, Rita Newcomb, and Billy Wagner’s mother, Fredericka Wagner, were also arrested on Tuesday. Both face felony charges for obstructing justice and perjury for allegedly misleading investigators over the course of the investigation.

Officials explained that the Wagners were indicted this week by a Pike County grand jury, less than a week after Ohio authorities found a homemade firearm suppressor that the suspects allegedly built and used in the murders.

“This, along with a great deal of other investigative findings, led us to these indictments and arrests today,” DeWine explained. “The Wagners were friends with the Rhodens and had been for years. They knew the layouts of the Rhodens’ homes, and they knew the victims’ routines. It is our belief that the suspects used this knowledge to meticulously plan these horrendous, cold-blooded murders.”

RELATED VIDEO: The Story Behind the Story: Eight Members of the Same Family Murdered in Ohio

Despite the long road it took to get here, both Sheriff Reader and Prosecutor Junk echoed DeWine’s earlier comments and said they were determined to stick to their word, solve the case and serve justice for the victims and their loved ones.

“I made a promise to the victims’ families and to the people of Pike County that we would solve this, no matter how long it took,” Reader said. “It’s been tough to be patient at times, but we kept our eye on the goal – justice for the victims.”

Junk added, “We have never stopped working to find the people responsible for these savage crimes, and our sympathies continue to be with the victims’ families. There is still a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we will continue to fight to hold these alleged killers accountable.” </s> British police on Tuesday arrested a female healthcare worker suspected of murdering eight babies and attempting to murder six more after an investigation into deaths at a neo-natal hospital unit.

The investigation into The Countess of Chester Hospital in the northwestern English city of Chester began last year and is focusing on the deaths of 17 babies between March 2015 and July 2016.

Police are also probing 15 non-fatal collapses of babies at the unit over the same period.

"As a result of our ongoing enquiries we have today arrested a healthcare professional in connection with the investigation," Cheshire police said in a statement, calling the arrest "a significant step forward in our enquiries".

"She was arrested earlier this morning on suspicion of murder in relation to eight of the babies and attempted murder in relation to six of the babies and is currently in custody," it said.

Police said the investigation, dubbed "Operation Hummingbird", was still "very much active and ongoing at this stage".

"Parents of all the babies are continuing to be kept fully updated and are being supported throughout the process by specially trained officers," the statement said. </s> A female healthcare worker is under arrest on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six babies after an investigation of the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Cheshire Police said.

The arrest comes as part of a long-running police investigation following a high number of baby deaths at the hospital, initially between June 2015 and June 2016.

Police say the investigation has since widened and they are now looking into the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between the period of March 2015 and July 2016.

Police have not said if the arrested woman is a nurse, doctor or other health professional.

Detective Inspector Paul Hughes, who is in charge of the investigation, said: "The investigation into the neonatal unit at The Countess of Chester Hospital is continuing. Since it was first launched in May 2017, a dedicated team of detectives have been working tirelessly on this case.

"This is a highly complex and very sensitive investigation and, as you can appreciate, we need to ensure we do everything we possibly can to try to establish in detail what has led to these baby deaths and collapses.

"When the investigation was first launched it was focusing on the deaths of 15 babies that occurred between the period of June 2015 and June 2016.

"In addition the investigation was also conducting a review of six non-fatal collapses during the same period.

"Since the start of our enquiries and, as the information gathering process has continued, the scope of the investigation has now widened. We are now currently investigating the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between the period of March 2015 and July 2016.

"Due to the nature of the case and, as part of our ongoing enquiries, we have consulted with a number of medical specialists to ensure that we carry out as thorough an investigation as possible. We have also spoken to a large number of people to gather as much information as we can.

"As a result of our ongoing enquiries we have today arrested a healthcare professional in connection with the investigation. She was arrested earlier this morning on suspicion of murder in relation to eight of the babies and attempted murder in relation to six of the babies and is currently in custody.

"Whilst this is a significant step forward in our enquiries it is important to remember that the investigation is very much active and ongoing at this stage. There are no set timescales for this coming to a conclusion but we remain committed to carrying out a thorough investigation as soon as possible.

"We recognise that this investigation has a huge impact on all of the families, staff, and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public. Parents of all the babies are continuing to be kept fully updated and are being supported throughout the process by specially trained officers. This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children.

"At this stage we are unable to go into any further details about the investigation but as soon as we are able to provide any further updates we will do.

"If anyone has any information that they want to pass onto the investigation team they are encouraged to get in touch via the Operation Hummingbird mailbox at operation.hummingbird@cheshire.pnn.police.uk </s> A FEMALE healthcare worker in England has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six.

A FEMALE healthcare worker in England has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six.

The arrest comes as part of a long-running investigation following a high number of baby deaths at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire.

Detectives launched an investigation in May last year, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.

On Tuesday, police said they had made an arrest and the probe had widened.

Detectives said they are looking into the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.

Police have not said if the arrested woman is a nurse, doctor or other health professional.

Detective Inspector Paul Hughes, in charge of the investigation for Cheshire Police, said: "The investigation into the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital is continuing.

"Since it was first launched in May 2017, a dedicated team of detectives have been working tirelessly on this case.

"This is a highly complex and very sensitive investigation and, as you can appreciate, we need to ensure we do everything we possibly can to try to establish in detail what has led to these baby deaths and collapses.

"When the investigation was first launched it was focusing on the deaths of 15 babies that occurred between the period of June 2015 and June 2016.

"In addition the investigation was also conducting a review of six non-fatal collapses during the same period.

"Since the start of our inquiries and as the information gathering process has continued, the scope of the investigation has now widened. We are now currently investigating the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between the period of March 2015 and July 2016.

"Due to the nature of the case and as part of our ongoing inquiries, we have consulted with a number of medical specialists to ensure that we carry out as thorough an investigation as possible. We have also spoken to a large number of people to gather as much information as we can.

"As a result of our ongoing inquiries we have today arrested a healthcare professional in connection with the investigation.

"She was arrested earlier this morning on suspicion of murder in relation to eight of the babies and attempted murder in relation to six of the babies and is currently in custody.

"Whilst this is a significant step forward in our inquiries it is important to remember that the investigation is very much active and ongoing at this stage.

"There are no set timescales for this coming to a conclusion but we remain committed to carrying out a thorough investigation as soon as possible.

"We recognise that this investigation has a huge impact on all of the families, staff and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public.

"Parents of all the babies are continuing to be kept fully updated and are being supported throughout the process by specially trained officers."

The hospital carried out a number of independent expert medical reviews into the deaths before calling in police.

Medical director Ian Harvey said: "We are continuing to support Cheshire Police with their ongoing investigation.

"Asking the police to look into this was not something we did lightly, but we need to do everything we can to understand what has happened here and get the answers we and the families so desperately want.

"The Countess is now equivalent to a Level 1 special care baby unit and we are confident the unit is safe to continue in its current form."

A report published in July 2016 by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) found significant gaps in medical and nursing rotas and insufficient staffing for the provision of longer term high dependency and some intensive care.

The RCPCH report said paediatric consultants had been concerned since June 2015 about a higher than usual number of deaths on the ward, several of which were "unexplained" or "unexpected". </s> (CNN) An Ohio family carefully studied the habits of members of another family -- their routines, the layouts of their homes and where they slept -- as they planned a deadly massacre that stunned a rural town, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

The eight victims -- who ranged in age from 16 to 44 -- were found shot to death at four crime scenes in and around the small town of Piketon on April 22, 2016. At one scene, police found a 4-day-old baby next to his slain mother. That child, along with a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old, survived.

The suspects "spent months planning the crime," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. But they made mistakes, DeWine said.

More than two years later, authorities arrested four members of the Wagner family Tuesday in connection with killing the members of the Rhoden family. Two grandmothers of the Wagner family were also charged in an alleged cover-up of the crime, DeWine said.

He declined to identify a motive but said custody of a child "plays a role in this case."

Read More </s> A female healthcare worker has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six after an investigation of the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

A female healthcare worker has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six after an investigation of the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The arrest comes as part of a long-running investigation following a high number of baby deaths at the hospital.

Detectives launched an investigation in May last year, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.

On Tuesday police said they had made an arrest and the probe had widened.

Detectives said they are looking into the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.

Police have not said if the arrested woman is a nurse, doctor or other health professional.

Detective Inspector Paul Hughes, in charge of the investigation for Cheshire Police, said: "The investigation into the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital is continuing.

"Since it was first launched in May 2017, a dedicated team of detectives have been working tirelessly on this case.

"This is a highly complex and very sensitive investigation and, as you can appreciate, we need to ensure we do everything we possibly can to try to establish in detail what has led to these baby deaths and collapses.

"When the investigation was first launched it was focusing on the deaths of 15 babies that occurred between the period of June 2015 and June 2016.

"In addition the investigation was also conducting a review of six non-fatal collapses during the same period.

"Since the start of our inquiries and as the information gathering process has continued, the scope of the investigation has now widened. We are now currently investigating the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses between the period of March 2015 and July 2016.

"Due to the nature of the case and as part of our ongoing inquiries, we have consulted with a number of medical specialists to ensure that we carry out as thorough an investigation as possible. We have also spoken to a large number of people to gather as much information as we can.

"As a result of our ongoing inquiries we have today arrested a healthcare professional in connection with the investigation.

"She was arrested earlier this morning on suspicion of murder in relation to eight of the babies and attempted murder in relation to six of the babies and is currently in custody.

"Whilst this is a significant step forward in our inquiries it is important to remember that the investigation is very much active and ongoing at this stage.

"There are no set timescales for this coming to a conclusion but we remain committed to carrying out a thorough investigation as soon as possible.

"We recognise that this investigation has a huge impact on all of the families, staff and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public.

"Parents of all the babies are continuing to be kept fully updated and are being supported throughout the process by specially trained officers." </s> PIKE COUNTY, Ohio -- Four family members have been arrested in the 2016 murders of eight people in a rural community of southern Ohio, according to WJW.

George "Billy" Wagner III, 47; Angela Wagner, 48; George Wagner IV, 27; and Edward "Jake" Wagner, 26, were arrested Tuesday and "are charged with planning and carrying out" the killings of eight members of the Rhoden family, Ohio State Attorney General Mike DeWine's office said in a news release.

The Wagners are from South Webster, about a 30-mile drive southeast of Piketon, the community in and around where the killings happened. Although the Wagners had since moved to Alaska, authorities said they arrested three in Ohio and one, "Billy" Wagner, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family were found shot to death on April 22, 2016.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine spoke about the arrests during a news conference Tuesday evening. He gave few details about the motive, saying only that it was believed to be linked to the custody of a child, according to the Associated Press. He called the case bizarre, adding that it centered around "obsession with the custody and control of children."

Edward "Jake" Wagner and one of the victims, his former girlfriend Hannah Rhoden, 19, shared custody of their daughter, authorities said.

The eight victims -- who ranged in age from 16 to 44 -- were found shot to death at four crime scenes.

DeWine said they now believe the suspects spent months studying their victims' schedules and the physical layouts of the Rhoden family homes.

Authorities in the past suspected multiple attackers who were familiar with the victims' homes and the surrounding area about 70 miles south of Columbus.

DeWine's office has said one of the victims, Christopher Rhoden Sr., had "a large-scale marijuana growing operation," leading some to speculate the killings were drug-related or even connected to Mexican drug cartels. Marijuana grow operations are not uncommon in that part of the state, however, authorities said.

Those who died included Kenneth Rhoden, 44; his brother Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; and Christopher's ex-wife Dana Rhoden, 37. Also killed were three of the Rhodens' children, Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20, Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, and Hanna May Rhoden, 19. Other victims were Hannah Gilley, 20, who was engaged to Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, and Gary Rhoden, 38, a cousin.

Authorities said the arrests were the culmination of more than 130 interviews and 550 tips in a case that at least 20 law enforcement agencies worked on.

Piketon is a town of about 2,000 residents, 90 miles east of Cincinnati.
Four suspects have been arrested for the murders of eight members of a family in 2016. Police believe custody of a child plays a role in this case. One of the suspects has a child with one of the victims.