LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – May 16th, a day Mary Nielsen will never forget. The day she was told her 3-year-old son Theodore and her 5-year-old daughter Emily were found dead in their father’s home.
“My heart sank and it’s still sinking, my chest hurts,” Nielsen said.
Nielsen, who lives in Illinois, dropped her kids off on Monday at her ex-husband, Adam Price’s home, because it was his week to have them. As part of their 50/50 custody, a condition of that arrangement meant Price had to contact her when he was with them everyday. Nielsen face-timed her children Thursday night and little did she know that would be the last time she would see her kids alive.
Nielsen said a neighbor saw Price Thursday evening packing up his car and said ‘he was getting ready for a long weekend.’ A friend of Nielsen found the children dead in their beds 48 hours later.
The cause of death has not yet been determined, but an autopsy will be scheduled in the coming days.
But that’s not how she wants to remember her babies last day on earth. She says Emily and Teddy were some of the sweetest and most loving children. Her kids were the light of her life.
“(Emily) had just turned five in January and you wouldn’t have known it,” Nielsen said. “She was so smart and she just caught onto everything very well, she was very artistic.”
“My son was so sweet and lovable, he was so friendly and he loved people,” Nielsen said. “He would just hug everybody and say hi to them.”
Not only does Nielsen have to move on without her kids, but also has two funeral expenses to cover. Friends of the family have started a gofundme page to help Nielsen get through this tough time.
Neilsen said she can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support that has already been shown.
“I have had so many people reach out to me that I don’t even know and tell me if I need anything, to let them know,” Nielsen said. “I appreciate that so much.”
If you would like to donate to the gofundme link, click HERE.