A Sudanese man, his wife and three children were found dead in their apartment in Riyadh on Monday, the police said.

“Preliminary investigations showed that the 46-year-old head of the family killed his wife and three children and later committed suicide,” said Col. Fawaz Al-Maiman, public relations director of the Riyadh police.

It is believed that the man had psychological problems.

Police swung into action after a fearful relative of the dead man called to say the man and his family had not responded to phone calls, according to reports.

Police and Civil Defense officers opened the house and found the five people in a pool of blood.

The wife, 44, had a slit neck. The children, ranging in age from two to seven years were lying in their own blood.

The case has been handed over to the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution.