Great Wolf Lodge is trending across the United States today after authorities reported a tragic double homicide at the family resort chain’s Pocono Mountains location in Pennsylvania. According to USA Today and statements from local police, a 27-year-old woman has been charged with two counts of criminal homicide after her husband and 3-year-old son were found dead inside a guest room on October 12, 2026. Police have described the case as an isolated domestic incident with no threat to the public.
What Happened at the Poconos Resort
Officers with the Pocono Township Police Department were dispatched to a room at the Great Wolf Lodge in Pocono Township at about 3:13 p.m. local time on Oct. 12, after the suspect reported she “needed help committing suicide,” police said in a news release reported by USA Today. Responding officers found the woman injured and discovered the bodies of a man and a 3-year-old boy while checking the room, according to police. The woman was then taken to a hospital.
Police said the investigation determined the deaths were the result of an isolated domestic incident and there was no threat to the public, USA Today reported.
Who Has Been Charged
Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, of Towanda, Pennsylvania, is charged with two counts of criminal homicide in the deaths of her husband, Charles Harrison, and the couple’s young son, according to court documents and police cited by USA Today.
It is important to note that these are charges and allegations — not convictions. The investigation remains ongoing, and Harrison is awaiting arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Daniel Kresge, according to police.
What the Criminal Complaint Alleges
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Pocono Record, part of the USA TODAY Network, Harrison told a dispatcher “she needed help dying and was unable to find the vein in her neck to stab.” When officers arrived, they observed cuts on her wrist and superficial puncture wounds on her neck, and the complaint states that Harrison told officers she “wanted to be with her husband and son.”
The complaint further states that officers found Charles Harrison and the boy dead on separate mattresses on the hotel room floor. Charles Harrison had suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest, while the child appeared to have suffered a single stab wound to the chest, USA Today reported.
While being transported to the hospital, Harrison repeatedly said “she was not supposed to be here” and spoke about trying to be the best mother and wife, lamenting that “it wasn’t supposed to end like this,” according to the complaint. When detectives later advised her of her Miranda rights at the hospital, she declined to speak, saying she was “suicidal, not stupid.”
Detective Sgt. Earl Ackerman, the affiant on the complaint, said investigators found two knives in the bathroom that did not belong to the resort, plus medication bottles and containers holding what appeared to be blood. During the 911 call, Harrison told the dispatcher her husband and son were “already gone,” the complaint states. Staff told investigators the family had checked in on Sept. 21 and extended their stay through Oct. 13.
“Violent Domestic Tragedy”: What Officials Have Said
Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso described the case as a “violent domestic tragedy” at a news conference on Oct. 13, USA Today reported.
“This was a contained thing. The violence, although extreme, all took place within the confines of that room and involved close family members,” Mancuso said.
Mancuso said investigators worked through the night, recovering about 80 to 90 pieces of evidence from the room, with other locations still subject to search. He noted that forensic testing and post-mortem examinations are pending and the investigation is in its early stages. Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac said autopsies are expected later this week.
In a statement, the Pocono Township Police Department offered condolences to the family and loved ones affected by what it called “this tragedy.”
How Great Wolf Lodge Responded
A Great Wolf Lodge spokesperson issued a statement reported by Fox Rochester (WOLF): “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by a tragic domestic incident that occurred yesterday in a guest room at our resort in the Pocono Mountains. It was an isolated family incident, and we’re cooperating fully with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of those affected.”
The spokesperson added that out of respect for those involved and the integrity of the investigation, further questions should go to the Pocono Township Police Department.
About Great Wolf Lodge
USA Today describes Great Wolf Lodge as part of a chain of family-oriented resort hotels and indoor water parks. The Pocono Mountains location, where the incident occurred, is in the Scotrun area of Pocono Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
What Happens Next in the Investigation
Authorities have stressed that the investigation is still in its early stages. According to USA Today, forensic testing and autopsies are pending, additional locations may still be searched, and Harrison is awaiting arraignment. As with any criminal case, the charges against her are allegations, and the legal process will determine the outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly did the incident happen?
According to police statements reported by USA Today, the incident occurred inside a guest room at the Great Wolf Lodge in Pocono Township (Scotrun area), Monroe County, Pennsylvania. Officers were dispatched to the room at about 3:13 p.m. local time on Oct. 12.
Who has been charged in the case?
Metallica Rose Harrison, 27, of Towanda, Pennsylvania, has been charged with two counts of criminal homicide, according to court documents and police cited by USA Today. These are charges — not convictions — and she is awaiting arraignment as the investigation continues.
Who were the victims?
According to the criminal complaint cited by USA Today, the victims were Harrison's husband, Charles Harrison, and the couple's 3-year-old son. Both were found dead inside the resort room.
Is there any threat to the public or resort guests?
Police have said the deaths were the result of an isolated domestic incident and there is no threat to the public. Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso said at an Oct. 13 news conference that the violence was contained within the room and involved close family members.
What has Great Wolf Lodge said about the incident?
A company spokesperson said the resort was "deeply saddened and heartbroken," called it an isolated family incident, and said the company is cooperating fully with law enforcement, according to Fox Rochester. The spokesperson asked that further questions be directed to the Pocono Township Police Department.
