A horrifying tragedy has shaken the city of Washington and left the entire nation grieving, as three young sisters—Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker, aged nine, eight, and five—were found dead after a scheduled visit with their father, Travis Decker. What began as a routine court-ordered custody arrangement ended in one of the most disturbing child homicide cases in recent memory, raising urgent concerns about family law, mental health, and the protection of children in vulnerable custody situations.

The girls had been placed temporarily in the care of their father, a 32-year-old former soldier, for a weekend visit approved by the court. Travis Decker had reportedly been living out of a pickup truck parked in a makeshift camp about two hours from Seattle, following a steep personal and professional decline. Homeless and reportedly struggling with mental health challenges, Decker had been separated from the children’s mother, Whitney Decker, since 2022.

Last Friday, Travis picked up the girls for their visit. It would be the last time they were seen alive.

When the children weren’t returned as scheduled on Saturday, Whitney grew alarmed. Repeated phone calls to Travis went unanswered and eventually routed straight to voicemail. Her concern quickly turned to dread. When local authorities failed to respond with immediate urgency, Whitney pursued an arrest warrant for custodial interference. By Sunday night, the search ended in heartbreak.

The bodies of Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia were found abandoned in a wooded area near Travis’s truck. According to autopsy reports, each child had been asphyxiated, with plastic bags placed over their heads and their wrists bound. The details were as horrifying as they were incomprehensible.