SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KMOX/AP) — The bodies of a father and his two young sons, who had been missing since last week, were found in Benton County, Mo., authorities say.
Darrell Peak left his home in Pleasant Hope on Thursday with Mayson Peak, 3, and Kaiden Peak, 4. On Monday, he was charged by the Greene County’s prosecutor with two counts of parental kidnapping.
The Greene County Sheriff’s office says the bodies were found "not far from where they were last observed." According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the bodies were found just north of Warsaw, Mo., in the area of U.S. Highway 65 near Route T.
Darrell Peak suffered from depression and made suicidal statements in the past, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reportedly stated.
The Greene County Sheriff’s office said the children and their father were last seen around 7 p.m. Thursday in Warsaw after they left their home a few hours earlier.
A deputy thought she spotted them walking along Missouri 65 Thursday evening but they were gone when she turned around to check on them, the department said.
Earlier Thursday, a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper stopped to assist Peak on Missouri 65, also north of Warsaw, but he declined help. The children were with him and appeared to be fine, the trooper reported.
© 2020 KMOX/AP (Entercom). All rights reserved