Christine, 37, has struggled with bipolar depression, according to her husband, who reported that she had twice recently disappeared with the girls, and lied about her where-abouts. He also said that she was suicidal and had researched methods for killing herself on the internet. Christine had told her sister that she said she was soon to admit herself for mental health treatment.
The family had been known in their neighborhood for their generosity, as instanced when they sold lemonade to raise money for cancer victims. The girls were Girl Scouts and she had been a physical education teacher in the Parkway School district before becoming a full time stay-at-home mother.
Her children were “the number one priority in her life,” a statement from her family said. Her recent behavior was entirely uncharacteristic of her. She took her daughters, 8-year-old Lauren, 6-year-old Samantha, and 3-year-old Kate, ate with her at McDonald’s at 11pm on Friday. Later that night the three children were taken to The Blue Springs Ranch and Resort, close to Bourbon, Mo. On Saturday, the four were found dead on the flooded gravel road, each with a single bullet wound to the head.
A statement from her family reads:
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that we release this statement about Christine, Lauren, Samantha and Kate Adewunmi. This is a very challenging time for the family and friends and we appreciate all the support, prayers and love.
“Christine Adewunmi was a loving and devoted mother. She spent the last 9 years making her children the number one priority in her life – going to the park, taking them on vacations, playing in the yard and making sure they had a good childhood.
“Christine was battling depression. Family, friends and professionals were supporting her recovery and stood by her side as she coped with the debilitating disease. Depression is difficult to understand and a serious illness that is hard to comprehend. No one knew the depths of her problem or could ever foresee this tragedy occurring. We cannot understand why this has happened and are dealing with this tragic loss one minute at a time. We firmly believe the Christine we knew and loved would never intentionally hurt her children.
“As the days go on, we pray for Leonard Adewunmi as he deals with this horrible loss. He is a proud and loving father of his three smart, beautiful and talented little girls. As an involved and caring dad, he will miss cooking with Lauren, playing soccer with Sammi, and singing to Kate. Leonard is a devout Catholic and family man that worked very hard to give his wife and children a wonderful life. Please respect his privacy as he has just lost his entire family.”