Police arranged for social workers to assist Cheng and her children, but that afternoon a relative called 911 saying Cheng was going to kill her children and herself, the news release said. Maplewood Police were able to track Cheng’s cell phone to the area of Vadnais-Sucker Lake Park in Vadnais Heights, just north of St. Paul.
Deputies found Cheng’s car in a parking lot, and several pairs of children’s shoes and the car keys on the shore of the lake. First responders immediately started a search in the water and on land, the news release said.
One of the three children, a 4-year-old, was found in the lake that evening, and his cause of death was determined to be drowning and smothering, according to the medical examiner. Shortly after midnight, search teams found a 5-year-old in the lake, and the news release said the cause of death was drowning.
When investigators resumed the search Saturday, they found the mother’s body, and her cause of death was determined to be suicide by drowning. Several hours later, they found the body of the third child, a 3-year-old; the medical examiner determined the child died by drowning and smothering, the news release said.
The sheriff’s office said the children’s deaths were classified as homicides.
“Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and community impacted by this terrible tragedy,” Ramsey County Undersheriff Mike Martin said in the news release. “The Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances of this incident to provide clarity and closure to the surviving family members.”
The sheriff’s water patrol commander, Eric Bradt, previously said boats are not allowed on the lake, which is about 5 to 10 feet deep.