The mother of three young girls who disappeared from Wenatchee last week and were tragically found dead on June 2 has shared her thoughts.
Whitney Decker alerted authorities last Friday, May 30, when her daughters, Olivia aged 5, Evelyn aged 8, and Paityn aged 9, did not return home from a scheduled visit with their father.
Her former husband, Travis Decker, was supposed to bring the children back to their Wenatchee, Washington State residence, but he failed to show up.
Police later confirmed the heartbreaking discovery of the three girls’ bodies at Rock Island Campground, located approximately 40 miles from their home, at around 3:45 PM on Monday.
The children’s bodies were discovered close to their father’s white 2017 GMC Sierra truck. Travis Decker has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping, as confirmed by the Wenatchee Police Department.
The father remains on the run, prompting authorities to intensify efforts to locate him.
Whitney is now advocating for changes to Washington State’s Amber Alert system. The grieving mother believes that if an Amber Alert had been issued by the Washington State Patrol, the outcome for her daughters might have been different.
Whitney’s attorney, Arianna Cozart, told KING of Seattle: “It’s very important to Whitney to get that fixed.”
An Amber Alert is designed to ‘instantly galvanize communities to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of an endangered missing or abducted child’, as stated by the State.
UNILAD has reached out to the Washington State Patrol for a response.
After contacting the police out of concern for her daughters’ wellbeing, Whitney reported that her desperate calls to Decker went unanswered, as they went straight to voicemail when he was supposed to bring the girls home.
An extensive search operation is ongoing in the town of Leavenworth, where Decker’s truck was sighted.
When the vehicle was searched, officers discovered personal items such as blankets, food, car seats, a wallet, and two bloody handprints, according to reports by The NY Post.
Authorities have warned the public against approaching Decker if he is spotted, emphasizing that he is considered a ‘significant risk’ due to his military background.
It remains uncertain whether the suspect is armed or not.
Nevertheless, police are appealing for the public’s help in locating him, describing Decker as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts.
“If you see, or believe you have seen, Mr. Decker please call 911 immediately and do not attempt or contact or approach him,” Chelan County Sheriff’s Office stated in a release on Thursday, June 5.