THE mom of three young girls who were found murdered at a campground revealed details of the last time she saw them with their alleged killer.
Travis Decker, 32, was quieter than usual when he picked up his three daughters from his ex-wife on Friday, she told police.
Several hours later, concern arose when Decker failed to return Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, to Whitney Decker following their scheduled visit.
Following an intense four-day search, the three young sisters were tragically discovered deceased on Monday at an isolated campsite approximately 20 miles northwest of Wenatchee, the community they shared with their mother.
Authorities suspect that the cause of death was asphyxiation, noting in court records that each child was found with a plastic bag over their heads and wrists restrained with zip ties.
Decker is still on the loose after cops found his white truck abandoned with bloody handprints on the tailgate about 75 to 100 yards away from where the girls’ bodies were found.
Before the devastating crime scene was discovered, the girls’ mom told cops that Decker’s mental health had been declining and that he was struggling financially.
Decker was reportedly “quieter than usual” when picking up his daughters for the planned visit on Friday, which she noted was “out of character” for him, court documents said.
The former military member also spoke about getting rid of his dog due to financial struggles caused by child support and a traffic ticket.
Despite the warning signs of his mental instability, Whitney said the handover went over with no issues until he didn’t drop them off hours later.
After the three-hour visit was over, Whitney said Decker didn’t call her to let her know he was running late, which was out of the ordinary for him.
Her calls to his cell phone went straight to voicemail.
She then called the police and reported her daughters missing at around 9:45 pm.
Whitney told detectives that Decker had never done this before and is “currently experiencing some mental health issues.”
Decker was homeless at the time and often sleeping at motels and campgrounds, Whitney reported.
When Decker didn’t go to work on Monday, court documents said his boss noted some recent mental health concerns.
Whitney and Decker had been divorced since 2022 after being married for seven years.
In September, they set a parenting plan in place so Decker could see the three girls every other weekend.
Court documents show Whitney claimed Decker was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and didn’t take medication for it, despite mental health treatment being part of the parenting plan.
“Travis has really struggled since he left the military and his mental health can be hard sometimes,” Whitney told Seattle CBS affiliate KIRO on Monday before the girls’ bodies were found.
“I think this is an effect of that, and I don’t personally think that he’s dangerous.”
She added, “I think that he is impulsive and he loves his children very much.”
Whitney told cops that the girls have a “good relationship with Decker and enjoy their time with him,” the affidavit said.
