Father and two daughters found dead after divorce hearing

Jeffrey Manke and his daughters Jaelyn, 16, and Lenora, 11, were located by officers during a welfare check at around 7pm on Friday, July 31. Authorities classified the episode as isolated and stated that there was no risk to the population.

What is known about the deaths in Wisconsin?

Winneconne Police and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office said the investigation remains ongoing. So far, no details have been released about the cause of the deaths or the dynamics of the case.

The sheriff's office also has not confirmed whether it is investigating the possibility of a double homicide followed by suicide. Therefore, this hypothesis is not officially treated as a conclusion of the investigation.

Authorities asked anyone with information about the case to contact the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.

Deaths occurred after divorce hearing

Court records cited by the American press indicate that Jeffrey Manke and Lindsay Lewandowski had completed divorce proceedings hours before the bodies were found.

The separation had been requested in 2024 and started a dispute over custody of the daughters. The court granted the two shared legal custody of the girls.

Court documents described the marriage as irretrievably broken, with no possibility of reconciliation.

Mother says daughters felt insecure

After the deaths, Lindsay published a message on social media stating that she had warned different people and institutions about the fear expressed by her daughters when they were in their father's care.

"Everyone they spoke to knew they were not safe in his care. And I fought with everything I had to try to keep them safe," he wrote.

The mother also stated that she was legally obliged to send the children to their father's home, despite the reported concerns.

"No one wanted to listen. If someone had listened to their cries for help over the last two years, they would still be here. The system failed my girls," he declared.

The statements represent Lindsay's account and have not yet been confirmed by the investigating authorities.

Documents mentioned access to weapons

A restraining order requested in early 2026 indicated that Manke had access to firearms, according to information released by the American press based on court documents.

The process also provided that he did not consume alcoholic beverages or drugs when he was responsible for his daughters. There is no official confirmation that these circumstances are related to the deaths.

The Winnebago County Circuit Court and the local human services department had not yet publicly commented on allegations that earlier warnings about the girls' safety had been ignored.

Family raises funds for sisters' funeral

A virtual campaign was created to help the family pay for Jaelyn and Lenora's funeral expenses. The page describes the two sisters as loving children, connected to their family and faith.

As of Wednesday (5), fundraising had exceeded US$28,000.

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