On Friday, at approximately 10:30 A.M. local time, police were called to a suicide in the town of Maplewood, a town just west of St. Paul. They found an adult male dead at the scene, Maplewood police Lt. Joe Steiner said at an evening news conference. He has been identified as the father of the three children, the Associated Press reports. The exact cause of death has not been released and Steiner said it remains under investigation. At about 4 p.m., police responded to Vadnais Lake for information about a possible murder-suicide, Steiner said. Authorities began searching the lake for three children and a woman. Steiner said the response to the lake was “in relation” to the previous incident, but did not elaborate. Ramsay County Sheriff Bob Fletcher confirmed Friday night that a child’s body has been found. The other was discovered on Friday night and the third child and mother were found on Saturday. Officials said during a Saturday news conference that the children — two boys and a girl — were all young. The medical examiner will perform autopsies on the bodies to determine the cause of death, officials said Saturday. The children’s shoes were found in the lake, Fletcher said. Steiner said the mother’s vehicle was also found at the scene, along with other items that lead authorities to believe they may be in the area. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
