Toddlers, Mother Identified In Twin Cities 'Triple Murder-Suicide'

TWIN CITIES, MN — Authorities have identified the bodies of three children and their mother that were found in a lake in Vadnais Heights on Friday and Saturday.

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating their deaths as a triple murder-suicide. The mother intentionally drowned her three children before doing the same to herself, authorities said.

"Our hearts go out the family, friends, and community impacted by this terrible tragedy," said Undersheriff Mike Martin in a 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."

Just after 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Maplewood police and fire crews responded to the 1300 block of Pearson Drive in Maplewood. The caller, Molly Cheng, 23, reported that her husband had shot himself.

The man was later identified as Yee Lee, 27, of Maplewood. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide.

Hours later, at around 4 p.m., a relative called 911 and said Cheng was planning to kill her children before killing herself, according to authorities. Following that call, Maplewood police issued a statewide alert to find Cheng and her children.

At about 5:45 p.m., authorities tracked Cheng's cell phone to the area of Vadnais Lake in Vadnais Heights. At the lake, deputies found several pairs of kids' shoes and a set of car keys on the shore.

Crews searched the lake from 7:30 p.m Friday until 11 a.m. Saturday and found the bodies of three children and one adult woman.

The names and ages of the three children were released:

• Estella Zoo Siab Lee, 3, of Maplewood
  • Cause of death: Drowning and smothering, ruled a homicide
• Quadrillion T. Lee, 4, of Maplewood
  • Cause of death: Drowning and smothering, ruled a homicide
• Phoenix Lee, 5, of Maplewood
  • Cause of death: Drowning, ruled a homicide

Cheng's body was also found, and her death was ruled a suicide by drowning.