The father of two of the four children killed in a Missouri house fire that was ruled a murder-suicide is speaking out, calling his children the “greatest gift” he could have asked for.
“They were the two most beautiful souls a father could wish for and they were a gift to our lives in every way,” Jared Spader said of his children, Jackson, 6, and Millie, 2, in a statement to FOX 2 Now.
Jackson and Millie Spader were killed along with their sisters Ivy and Ellie Pruessner, both 9, and their mother, Bernadine Pruessner, 39, who police say intentionally started the fire at their Ferguson home.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that this was a murder/suicide,” the St. Louis Police Department told PEOPLE. Louis. “It is believed that Bernadine deliberately set the mattress on fire as it was the original point of fire. A note was also left stating that Bernadine intended to take her own life and the lives of her children.”
In his statement to Fox 2 Now, Jared Spader said he is focused on respecting his children.
“Jackson was the most amazing big brother, kind, intuitive and gentle,” Spader said, according to the outlet. “He loved his sisters, the outdoors, sports, art and was always in tune with the needs of others. Millie was a witty, charismatic, dear and kind sister who brightened up every moment of our day.”
Spader’s brother started a GoFundMe to raise money for a memorial service for the children killed in the fire. He raised almost $50,000.
A service for the four children will be held Friday at a church in Chesterfield, Mo. Court records show Bernadine has fought custody battles with two of her children’s fathers.
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In a statement from her family’s attorney, Nathan Cohen, Bernadine, who went by the name Birdie, “ended up in a terrible place, a place that resulted in tragic consequences,” as a result of the lawsuit, KMOV reported.
“She viewed the children as being exploited by their fathers as a means to hurt Birdie at their expense,” the statement said. “Tragically, she made the wrong choice. Birdie was fiercely independent, rejecting our support and accepting only our love.”
The statement added that Bernadine was an early childhood education teacher.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Line by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Line at 741741 or going to 988lifeline.org.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education