A tragic incident has left an Oklahoma family devastated as they grieve the loss of their two young children. The heartbreaking discovery was made when the children were found deceased in a car, after a caretaker allegedly failed to bring them to daycare as planned.
According to a report from local news outlet KFOR, officers conducting a welfare check found Ariel and Avery, both 2 years old, unconscious in a vehicle that had come to a halt on a street in a residential area near Norman, Oklahoma.
Marshall Suter, the girls’ father, spoke to KFOR and mentioned that a trusted family member was supposed to drop the girls off but unfortunately forgot.
“They were the best girls the world has ever seen. It honestly hurts because the girls were so deeply loved and cared for,” Suter told the outlet.
KFOR reported that a family member described the incident as “truly tragic” and mentioned that it has been very difficult for the family.
“I hope this will at least show people that it wasn’t intentional and truly an accident,” the family member told the outlet. “This family would just like some peace in this difficult and heavy time.”
Last Thursday’s devastating news has been described as the most traumatic news any parent could ever receive. In response, a GoFundMe fundraiser was set up by one of Suter’s cousins to assist the family with funeral expenses.
“No one truly knows the pain of losing a child until you are going through it,” the fundraiser reads. “I know this mom and dad are going through it. We would be so grateful and appreciative in any help received and may God bless you all for your kindness.”
The Norman Police Department released a statement confirming that the two toddlers were found deceased when officers arrived at the scene. According to the department, it seems that the twin girls were unintentionally left in the vehicle for a significant amount of time before a family member discovered them.
“The medical examiner will determine the cause of death,” the police statement read. “The investigation into the incident is ongoing.”