Preliminary Report: Mother Found Dead In Van With Kids Shot Herself
LONE TREE, Colo. (CBS4) - Preliminary results from the coroner in Douglas County show Jennifer Laber died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Laber, 38, of Highlands Ranch, was found dead in her minivan Wednesday morning along with her two boys, Ethan and Ryan. The boys also died from gunshot wounds, but authorities so far aren't willing to call the case a murder-suicide.
Sgt. Tim Beals of the Lone Tree Police Department said Thursday the investigation revealed Laber purchased a gun legally on Tuesday.
The gun was purchased at 12:30 p.m. and she was seen picking up her boys -- Adam, 3, and Ethan, 5 -- at Bear Canyon Elementary School approximately 90 minutes later.
A passerby in Lone Tree alerted police to Laber's vehicle, which was found in the loading dock area of a Sports Authority building at East County Line Road.
Laber's husband is cooperating with police in their investigation into the deaths and is not considered a suspect. He reported their disappearance on Tuesday night.
"Everybody is blindsided. We had no indication, nothing like that. No abrupt behavior by any means. Just blindsided," family spokesperson Brandon Tartler said on Wednesday.