A mother whose three daughters were allegedly suffocated to death by their father has broken her silence as her Army veteran ex-husband remains of the run.
Whitney Decker knew that her daughters Paityn, nine, Evelyn, eight, and Olivia, five, were in ‘substantial danger’ when their father Travis Decker failed to return them after his visitation on Friday, her attorney revealed.
The mother-of-three wanted police in Wenatchee, Washington State to issue and Amber alert but she was allegedly told that the case did not meet the requirements for that specific warning.
Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia’s bodies were found at a campsite in Leavenworth, 20 miles from their home, on Monday. Their wrists had been bound with zip ties and each of them had been suffocated with a plastic bag.
Travis Decker, an Afghanistan veteran with extensive commando training, is wanted on suspicion of their murder. He was reportedly suffering from ‘complex PTSD’ and ‘other mental health issues’.
He vanished into the woods and remains on the run. He is considered dangerous, given his extensive military training and propensity for violence.
But Whitney, through her attorney Arianna Cozart, has now spoken out, alleging this ‘was a tragedy that could’ve been completely’ had officials intervened.
She believes ‘something broke inside’ of Decker and that he ‘would not have done what he did if he was himself’, Cozart revealed in a heartbreaking statement early Thursday morning.
‘He clearly had some sort of break and everything that he had been living with, everything that had been bottled up inside of him for so long as far as trauma, just won out,’ Cozart told the Seattle Times.
Whitney Decker is pictured with her daughters Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia
Travis Decker is wanted on suspicion of murder of his daughters. He has not been seen since he picked up his three little girls for a three-hour visit on Friday
The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office released Ring doorbell camera footage showing Travis Decker, 32, in a light colored T-shirt and dark shorts in the days leading up to his visitation with his three young daughters
Decker was reportedly diagnosed with complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder after leaving active military service.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
