### Police Intensify Search for Father Accused of Killing Three Daughters in Washington State

Authorities in central Washington State are urgently hunting for a man accused of murdering his three young daughters and abandoning their bodies near a campground. Found on Monday with plastic bags over their heads, the girls are believed to have been asphyxiated, according to initial findings from Wenatchee police. Their wrists were allegedly bound with zip ties.

The victims, Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were reported missing last week by their mother. The search led to the tragic discovery of their bodies in Chelan County, approximately 70 miles east of Seattle. Police are now seeking their father, Travis Decker, 32, who faces three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of kidnapping.

"We have no leads on his current location and believe he could be anywhere within the nation," said Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are aiding local authorities in the nationwide manhunt.

On Friday evening, the girls’ mother contacted police after they failed to return from a scheduled visitation with Mr. Decker. She voiced concerns about her ex-husband’s mental health, citing his diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and a likely lapse in medication.

Authorities later found Decker's pickup truck near the Rock Island campground, leading to the grim discovery of the children's bodies nearby. Captain Brian Chance of the Wenatchee Police Department remarked that Mr. Decker's military background makes him particularly dangerous and difficult to apprehend. He warned the public against attempting to contact or approach Decker, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Compounding the tragedy is the fact that an Amber Alert was initially denied by the Washington State Patrol due to insufficient evidence of imminent danger. They later issued an endangered missing person alert, which holds less urgency. Chris Loftis, spokesman for the Washington State Patrol, expressed regret over the situation, noting, "Everyone wishes we could turn back the clock."

Law enforcement continues to focus their efforts in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, where Mr. Decker was last seen driving on a highway.