Authorities in Vadnais Heights pulled the body of a child from a local lake Friday night as they continued to search for the bodies of two other children and their mother.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher called the situation unfolding at Lake Vadnais a “probable triple homicide.” He told a news conference that search teams would “continue to look for the other two children until dark”. All were under the age of 5, Fletcher said.
“There is nothing more tragic than the loss of young children,” Fletcher said.
Authorities responded to the lake earlier on a report that a suicidal woman had headed to the area with her children. During a search of the water, the body of the child was discovered, which was later pronounced dead.
Authorities from multiple agencies were involved in the search Friday night.
In a brief interview, Lt. Joe Steiner of the Maplewood Police Department said officers responded around 10:30 a.m. Friday to a suicide at a mobile home park, where they found the victim’s partner had left with their children. That’s what initially started the search, he said.
The woman’s car was found near the lake about 4 p.m., Steiner said. He said authorities continue to treat the search as a rescue/recovery operation. He said family members are aware of the situation, but names of those involved have not yet been released.
Fletcher said authorities “don’t know for sure” if the woman’s body is in the lake.
“We don’t know if it was a triple murder followed by suicide or if she was taken by another party and ran away,” Fletcher said.
Add Comment