Missing Colorado mom, two young sons, found dead in their parked minivan
LONE TREE, Colo. – A 36-year-old woman and her two children have been found dead in their car following a report that they had gone missing, reports CBS Denver.
“We certainly didn’t see this horrific ending that this case has come to today,” said Douglas County Chief Deputy Steve Johnson.
On Tuesday night, Jennifer Laber’s husband reported his wife and their two boys missing.
The woman and the boys — Adam, 3, and Ethan, 5 — were last seen on Tuesday afternoon leaving Bear Canyon Elementary School before the school day was over.
A surveillance image authorities released showed them outside the school at 2 p.m.
Police also released a description of Laber’s minivan in hopes someone might spot it.
After daybreak on Wednesday a passerby in Lone Tree reported seeing a vehicle in a strange place and reported it to police.
“Officer responded to the scene and realized that the van that was here in the parking lot matched the description of the van that was reported associated with three missing people from the Douglas County Sheriff’s office,” said Sgt. Tim Beals of the Lone Tree Police Department.
The three bodies were found inside the minivan, which was reportedly at a Sports Authority building in the loading dock area.
Police so far aren’t releasing the cause of death of the three people, but CBS Denver reports Laber’s mother, Linda Krannich, said they died from gunshot wounds.
No suspects have been identified in the case, and police said they believe there is no threat to public. An “active, ongoing” investigation is underway, according to Johnson.
“Allow us time to piece this together and give this father the answers that he so desperately is going to need as he faces just this hollow time in his life and the other members of his family,” he said.
Krannich, who lives in Minnesota, told CBS Denver that Laber was happily married and was a stay-at-home mom.