A child's body was discovered in a lake north of St. Paul on Friday. Authorities continue to search for the mother and two other children involved in what they call a "potential triple-homicide."
Police were dispatched to Maplewood, just west of St. Paul, to investigate a suicide report at 10:30 AM local time. Maplewood Police Lieutenant Joe Steiner stated that they found an adult male dead on the spot. Steiner stated that the cause of death is still being investigated.
Steiner stated that police responded to Vadnais lake at 4 p.m. on the information of possible murder-suicide. Three children and one woman were found in the lake, so authorities began searching for them. Steiner stated that the lake's response was "in regard to" an earlier incident but didn't specify.
Bob Fletcher, Ramsay County Sheriff, confirmed that one child's remains have been located. Two other children are still missing. Fletcher identified Fletcher as the mother of the three missing children. All of them are younger than five years old, but he did not give any details.
Fletcher stated that one child was found in the lake. The water patrol and dive team are actively looking for the two other children. We do not yet know where their mother is. This is a possible triple-homicide here in Lake Vadnais. It follows a Maplewood homicide.
Fletcher stated that the shoes of the children were found at Lake Michigan. Steiner stated that the vehicle of the mother was also found at the scene. Other items led authorities to suspect that they might be in the vicinity.
Authorities say it is not clear if the man who died had any connection to the children and their mother.
