On July 27, 2022, Sonia Loja, 36, strangled her three children—12-year-old Junior Panjon, 10-year-old Joselyn Panjon, and 5-year-old Jonael Panjon—at their home on Whaley Street in Danbury, Connecticut, before killing herself by hanging in a shed in the backyard. The children were found with cords around their necks. The children's father, Pedro Panjon, had left for work early that morning and was unable to reach his wife throughout the day. He requested a wellness check and arrived home before police, discovering the children's bodies and calling 911 before collapsing in the yard. Loja had been operating an illegal daycare out of the home and had been cited approximately one month earlier, receiving a 'Demand to Cease' letter. On the day of the killings, she told the parents of the roughly 10 daycare children not to bring them, indicating premeditation.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The news article states: "preliminary findings indicate that Ms. Loja strangled her three children before killing herself." The CT Family Violence Homicide Report lists the weapons for incidents 9, 10, and 11 (the three Danbury children) as "Other Dangerous: Rope" and "Hands/Fist/Feet." The CT report's narrative further states: "The suspect strangled her three children before she hanged herself" and that the husband "found the bodies of the victims with cords around their necks."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The news article describes the incident as a murder-suicide: "Connecticut mom Sonia Loja killed her 3 kids before taking own life." The CT Family Violence Homicide Report marks incidents 9, 10, and 11 (Danbury, 07/27/22) with an asterisk denoting "Murder-Suicide" and explicitly states: "Suspect Suicide: Female, 36." The report also notes this was one of "eight murder-suicide incidents" in 2022, and the only one involving rope and a female offender.
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Sonia Loja, the biological mother, was identified as the perpetrator. The news article states: "preliminary findings indicate that Ms. Loja strangled her three children before killing herself." The CT report confirms: "The suspect strangled her three children before she hanged herself." The CT incident list identifies the offender as a 36-year-old female with the victims listed as her children (sons and daughter) residing in the same home.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The CT report provides a notable detail not addressed by the preceding questions: "The suspect ran an illegal daycare out of her house and told the parents of roughly 10 kids that she couldn't watch them the day of the incident. The suspect was cited a month before the murder-suicide for operating the illegal day-care and had recently received a 'Demand to Cease' letter." The news article corroborates this, stating: "Loja ran an illegal day care out of the house" and "She had told parents of the kids she took care of not to drop them off on the day of the killings." These details suggest the regulatory enforcement action may have been a significant stressor and that the killings were premeditated, as Loja took deliberate steps to ensure no daycare children would be present.
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