7-year-old girl killed by father in murder-suicide

The 41-year-old man who killed his 7-year-old daughter and himself in a Manayunk home had a violent past and was involved in a custody battle with his ex-wife, reports say. Kayden Mancuso, 7, who lived with her mother, step-father and siblings in Lower Makefield where she was a student in the Pennsbury School District, was reportedly found dead just before 11 a.m. on Aug. 6 in her father’s Manayunk apartment.

The mother of Kayden Mancuso had reportedly been fighting unsuccessfully for custody in family court with her ex-husband.

“Kayden’s biological father had a violent and storied history yet the courts still allowed for modified visitation,” states a Gofundme for the family started by Mancuso’s aunt. “Kayden was dropped off at her father’s house on Saturday, August 4th and never returned home.”

Jeffrey Mancuso, 41, reportedly had custody of his daughter on alternate weekends. Mancuso had past arrests and had been diagnosed as having mental health issues, the Inquirer reported.

Mancuso was convicted of aggravated assault for biting part of another man’s ear off during a bar fight and sentenced to house arrest, and had pending charges of DUI, the Inquirer found. He was also diagnosed by a psychologist as having major depressive and anxious disorder and suicidal ideation, history of depression and suicidal ideation. Kayden’s school reportedly sent him a “cease-and-desist” letter after he repeatedly harassed school staff.

Kayden Mancuso found dead

Kayden Mancuso

Kayden was discovered after her step-father and step-grandfather went to Mancuso’s apartment on the 4500 block of Wilde Street searching for her on Monday, one day after she was due to be returned to her mother in Langhorne, Pa.

She was found dead on the first floor with a bag over her head. Mancuso was discovered dead on the second floor. The exact causes of death were not publicly released as of press-time.

Kayden was due to begin second grade next month.

Her school district said grief counselors would be made available on Wednesday and Thursday at Edgewood Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.