A father killed his wife and two of his children, then sent his daughter to school for two weeks, warning her not to tell or she and her brother would die too.

Police in Charlotte, North Carolina, said no-one found out the children and their mother were dead until officers came to Kenneth Chapman's door to check on his wife because her uncle had not heard from her for a while.

When police arrived, Chapman went upstairs and sent the 10-year-old girl and her two-year-old half brother outside.

He shot at officers from the top of the stairs, police said. Then came more gunshots.

Inside, officers found Chapman dead. The bodies of his wife's teenage daughter and the couple's baby daughter were in a locked bedroom.

A few hours later, authorities found Chapman's wife dead at a larger apartment.