Two children killed, injured father a suspect

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A 5-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister were found shot to death in their burning home, and police charged their father with the slayings.

The father was found a couple of miles from the house with critical injuries on Saturday, police Sgt. Lisa Mangum said. She would not describe his injuries.

The case is the third in less than two months in which a Charlotte-area parent has been charged with killing two children. Shaken and tearful, Olga Miranda picked through the debris of their home in northeast Charlotte and declined to talk about her husband, Gilberto Miranda Cuellar.

A friend who helped her put a few belongings in a bag said Gilberto Miranda had a history of menacing behavior toward his family, including threatening to kill himself.

Isaide Serrano said the man called her late Friday and told her to take care of his wife. A short time later, Olga Miranda telephoned from her job and said something was wrong at home.

In January, a mother was charged with killing her 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son and setting their Midland home on fire. Banking executive David Crespi was also charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 20 stabbing deaths of his 5-year-old twin daughters in their Charlotte home.