More than $1 million has been raised for the grief-stricken Washington mother whose three little girls were allegedly killed by their homeless veteran father.
The fundraiser for Whitney Decker — whose daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, were found dead Monday — has received more than 22,500 donations, according to the account on GoFundMe.
“On May 30th, the girls were reported missing after a scheduled visitation with their father. We are heartbroken to share that the girls have since passed,” Amy Edwards, the fundraiser organizer, wrote in a statement.
“Their light touched so many, and the pain of this loss is immeasurable,” Edwards said.
“I’ve known Whitney for years, we’re both dance moms and theater friends. We originally met through Short Shakespeareans, where I serve as the music director, and had the privilege of teaching Whitney’s girls over the past few years,” she said.
Whitney Decker said she knew her daughters were in “substantial danger” when their father, Travis Decker, did not return home with them within a court-ordered deadline after his visitation with them Friday night, the Seattle Times reported.
“As soon as he didn’t bring those girls back at 8 o’clock, she knew something was going on,” said Whitney’s lawyer, Arianna Cozart.
The mom contacted local cops, who wanted to issue an Amber Alert, her lawyer has said. But State Patrol officers overruled the local department, arguing it was too soon for an alert since the dad was on a scheduled visit with the girls and there was no immediate legal presumption that the kids were kidnapped or in danger.
Cozart said Travis, a Washington National Guard member, had been desperately seeking mental health services from Veterans Affairs and a veterans crisis line but was allegedly offered no help and left to wallow alone.
The three girls were found dead with plastic bags over their heads and their wrists zip-tied, with their bodies located in an embankment at Rock Island Campground about 18 miles west of the town of Leavenworth, Wash.
Preliminary investigations indicate the girls likely died from asphyxiation.
In the days leading up to the brutal killings, Travis was seen walking around a Chelan County home, appearing disorientated.
Police remain on the hunt for Travis, an avid outdoorsman who is believed to have undergone mountain survival training.
Police remain on the hunt for Travis, an avid outdoorsman who is believed to have undergone mountain survival training.
A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
The proceeds of the fundraiser for Whitney will help cover her expenses and legal fees, the GoFundMe said.
