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Cherokee County court records show father, daughter arrested for family violence years before murder-suicide

Cherokee County Court records show the 57-year-old father and 19-year-old daughter were both previously arrested following reports of violence at the family's home.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Details of what happened in the moments before a shooting Saturday inside a Cherokee County home is still unknown publicly.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said Saturday evening, a father and his daughter were found dead after it appears the 57-year-old man shot his 19-year-old daughter and then died by suicide.

The sheriff's office identified the father as Howard Newhouse and the daughter as Kathryn Newhouse. 

A spokesman with the sheriff's office told 11Alive on Sunday that he didn't have any new information that can be released about the investigation.

Cherokee County court records though detail two previous incidents where violence inside the family's home was reported leading to deputies making arrests.

According to arrest warrants on April 9, 2019, Howard Newhouse was accused of "intentionally or without provocation" causing physical pain and harm to his daughter at their home by "holding her down on a bed by her throat."

Records show the father was arrested by deputies for a misdemeanor charge of simple battery, described as family violence. 

The case though would never be prosecuted.

Additional records show Howard went through a pre-trial diversion program and met the necessary requirements for his case to be dismissed on April 30, 2020.

In between his arrest and case being dismissed though, Kathryn Newhouse was arrested following accusations that she committed a violent act toward her father.

A warrant for Kathryn's arrest states on January 28, 2020, at their home she struck a cup in her father's hand forcing it into his face and glasses, cutting his nose. 

But while Kathryn would be arrested, similar to her father's case she would never be prosecuted. 

She was also charged with a misdemeanor count of simple battery, again described as family violence.

Court records show prosecutors though determined it was in the public's best interest to dismiss the case, with Kathryn being ordered to write an essay apologizing for the incident while also taking a life skills course and receiving other treatment. 

Her case was dismissed one year after her arrest. 

On Saturday around 5:45 p.m., sheriff's deputies responded once again to the family's house in the Bridge Mill subdivision.

Authorities told 11Alive the entire incident transpired while Kathryn's mother was home. She was not injured.

According to the sheriff's office on Saturday, the county coroner and deputies were inside the family's home conducting an investigation into the shooting and talking with the mother. 

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