At a Glance
- Two children, ages 4 and 1, were found unharmed just feet from where their parents were fatally shot on Dec. 30
- The 4-year-old daughter recently said goodbye to her “mommy and daddy,” according to family
- The children are now in the care of extended family who are figuring out how to help them process the tragedy
- Why it matters: The case highlights how young children process sudden loss and the challenges families face in explaining violence to them
Two young Ohio children orphaned after their parents were shot to death in their Columbus home are now being cared for by extended family members who are struggling with how to explain the sudden disappearance of their mother and father.
The Discovery
Monique and Spencer Tepe were fatally shot inside their residence early on Dec. 30, according to police estimates placing the crime between 2 and 5 a.m. Their children, ages 4 and 1, were found unharmed just feet away from where their parents’ bodies were discovered.
A friend who frantically called 911 from outside the Tepe residence that day told a dispatcher he could hear crying inside the house but couldn’t get in. Spencer’s brother-in-law Rob Misleh believes the 1-year-old was likely the one crying because he couldn’t get out of his crib.
Processing the Loss
More than two weeks since the killings, the children are spending time with extended family members. The 4-year-old daughter recently said goodbye to her “mommy and daddy,” but carries on their infectious energy, a family member tells News Of Losangeles.
“It’s, it’s unfortunate because they’ll never get to know their parents,” Spencer’s cousin Audrey Mackie told News Of Losangeles last week. “Maybe the eldest one might hopefully remember her parents. It’s very tragic.”
The 4-year-old, known as a “ball of energy” in the family, is probably “inquisitive and intuitive enough to understand something is wrong,” Misleh tells News Of Losangeles.
Remembering Their Parents
Family members say the young girl’s personality reflects both her mother and father.
“She’s got a big personality, not unlike her mom or her dad,” Misleh says. “You totally see them kind of shine through her.”
While the child remains active and energetic, family members have noticed moments when a somber mood comes over her.
“There were moments when I was with her and she was playing, jumping and having fun, and then would all of a sudden, [get] kind of real serious,” Misleh tells News Of Losangeles. “None of it really led to any kind of conversation, but you could just see it in her personality.”
Moving Forward
The family is working with professionals to determine how to explain to the children what happened and why their parents suddenly disappeared.
“If she wants to talk about it – we are to encourage that,” Mackie told News Of Losangeles last week. “We’re taking it day by day and learning how to do this as well.”
Mackie says they are following the guidance of professionals and had some books delivered last week about how to talk about complex topics with children.
In some ways, taking care of the couple’s orphaned children is making the close-knit family even tighter.
“We have a village and our family just got bigger,” Mackie said. “And we’re all going to have to make sure that we honor Spence and Mo in the best way, and [the children] get to know them as best as possible.”
Support and Legal Proceedings
A GoFundMe has been set up to benefit the children.
Monique’s ex-husband Michael David McKee has been arrested in connection with the killings. Ohio police have not identified a suspected motive behind the killings but claimed it was a “domestic violence crime.”
McKee’s lawyer previously said he plans to plead not guilty to the aggravated murder charges.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
