SPRINGVILLE, Utah

Couple and three of their children found dead in home

A preliminary autopsy has ruled out any violent assault in the deaths of five Utah family members, including three children, police said Sunday.

There was no evidence of stabbing or gunshot wounds or other visible injuries to the five found dead Saturday night in their home in Springville, about 45 miles south of Salt Lake City, investigators said.

The five were identified Sunday as Benjamin Strack, 37, his wife, Kristi, 36, and three of their children: Benson, 14, Emery, 12, and Zion, 11.

Police Lt. Dave Caron said the cause of death has not been determined, and will not be until an analysis of blood samples is concluded. The Medical Examiner’s Office provided no time frame for the release of results of laboratory testing.

Asked whether foul play has been ruled out, Caron told The Associated Press, “We haven’t ruled out anything except there was no violent trauma.”

The bodies were found shortly before 8 p.m. by an older son, who went to the duplex after he did not hear from the family as expected, according to investigators.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Governor signs bill defining when ‘yes means yes’ to sex

Gov. Jerry Brown announced Sunday that he has signed a bill that makes California the first in the nation to define when “yes means yes” and adopt requirements for colleges to follow when investigating sexual assault reports.

State lawmakers last month approved SB967 by Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles. Rather than using the refrain “no means no,” the definition of consent under the bill requires “an affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.”

The legislation says silence or lack of resistance does not constitute consent. Under the bill, someone who is drunk, drugged, unconscious or asleep cannot grant consent. Advocates for victims of sexual assault supported the change as one that will provide consistency across campuses and challenge the notion that victims must have resisted assault to have valid complaints.

– From news service reports