A 40-year-old father and his two young children were found dead four days after they left home.
The bodies of Darrell Peak, 4-year-old Kaiden Peak, and 3-year-old Mayson Peak were found inside an abandoned structure in Benton, Missouri.
As of Tuesday, no manners of death or causes have been released.
A statement from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office said that the bodies were discovered not far from where the family had been approached by a trooper but the father reportedly refused any assistance.
Reports say that the encounter with the state trooper occurred 16 hours before the father and his sons were reported missing.
The children’s grieving mother, Bonnie Peak, told Fox 2 Now that Darrell was “angry” when he left but claimed that it was strange of him to take off with the kids and not return.
“I don’t think for one second that he would physically harm our children, ever, in a million year (sic),” Bonnie said.
“He’s a very good dad and he’s a good person. I know he’s going through a lot lately and I don’t know if he’s just going through a mental breakdown.”
Bonnie continued: “I think he wanted to leave on his own and I think the children just happened to be in the car when he got in my car and took off.”
Peak had made suicidal statements in the past as he suffered from depression, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
One person commented: “Why do many suicidal parents end their kids’ lives before ending their own? What sort of evil, demented mind thinks like this? RIP for the two sweet boys, they are in a much better place now.”
Another wrote: “Just yesterday, we had a story a mother who dragged her six year old son to death as he desperately tried to climb back into the vehicle after she attempted to abandoned him in a forest. This insanity has to end. Children should be protected at all costs, not harmed in any way.”
A third added: “Poor little boys may they rest in peace.”
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