The Independence Police Department is currently investigating the deaths of three residents whose bodies were found in a home on Freedom Trails Drive on Tuesday night.

According to reports, the bodies of Jessica Padilla and her parents, Lori and Seaward Padilla, were discovered shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday when firefighters and rescue workers were called to the scene of a working structure fire in the 1800 block of Freedom Trails. Upon their arrival at the scene, neighbors also reported hearing gunshots in and around the house.

Firefighters quickly noticed a young girl, approximately 2 years old, standing near the front of the house. Assistant Police Chief David Nichols said that police quickly removed the girl from the scene. She did not sustain any injuries and is currently with relatives.

As firefighters attempted to enter the house to battle the blaze, which Nichols said was throughout the house, they reported hearing gunshots. He said that no firefighters or police officers were injured during the incident.

"Obviously, the fire had to be extinguished before our police and rescue team could search the house," said Nichols. "It was during their search, after the fire, that the bodies were discovered."

Nichols declined to say where in the house the bodies were discovered. He said that each of the bodies had what appears to be gunshot wounds, but couldn't confirm cause of death.

"Until we get the autopsy back, we can't really be sure of what happened," he said. "Right now, we're just still investigating everything."

The department isn't jumping to any conclusions about the connection between the fire and the gunshots.

"Obviously, people will think this fire is very suspicious, but we're investigating every angle right now and it's too soon to make any definitive comments," Nichols said. "Our main issues are discovering the source of the fire, and the source of the gunshots, and that's what we're working on now."

According to Kenton County Superintendent Tim Hanner, Seaward was a substitute bus driver and monitor with the district from 2003 until 2007. Jessica Padilla was a 2005 graduate of Simon Kenton.

"We're making sure the crisis team is in place for Simon Kenton for students who may remember her or teachers who taught her," said Hanner. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to this community."

Independence Mayor Chris Moriconi is actually a resident on Freedom Trails Drive, and came outside when fire trucks passed his home. Once outside, Moriconi, like other neighbors on the street, said he heard gunshots.

"It's one of those things you hear on TV and you hope and pray it never happens in your community - and it did last night," Moriconi said. "Everyone in the neighborhood is in a state of shock at this point."

Moriconi said he hopes to organize a city donation drive for the two-year-old who survived, collecting baby clothes and food for her.

Venetia Ross, a neighbor on Freedom Trails, called what happened "horrible."

"I couldn't sleep all night," she said. "I feel sick."

Some neighbors say there may have been some domestic issues at the Padilla home.

Ross's brother-in-law Jack Ross added that Seaward Padilla had harassed his sister-in-law's children and other children in the neighborhood.

Wayne Warning, who lived across the street, said he didn't know the family very well, but that Seaward Padilla did seem "odd."

"I never saw them fight or anything like that, but neighbors have said they've seen that," he said.

Several Kenton County and Independence police live in the neighborhood, Warning said, and there isn't usually a question of neighborhood safety.

"Nobody worries about safety in this neighborhood," he said. "We would think it's probably an internal issue."

Moriconi agreed.

"This is just one of those sad, isolated tragic incidents," he said. "It's still a safe place to live. It's just a tragic domestic issue."

As of press time police did not have any additional information.