Dad Accused of Killing 3 Daughters Lost Right to Overnight Custody and Was Ordered to Have Mental Health Evaluations

New details from divorce documents reveal that a mother had growing concerns about the mental state of her children’s father before he allegedly took them and killed them during a scheduled visit last weekend. Police are currently searching for 32-year-old Travis Decker after the bodies of his three daughters, Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia (5), were discovered near his abandoned truck on Monday.

The divorce process between Travis and Whitney Decker started amicably in November 2022, but less than two years later, Whitney sought changes to the custody agreement, expressing worries about Travis’s anger management and domestic violence issues. She mentioned in a declaration filed in September 2024 that Travis struggled to maintain stability, causing emotional stress for their children.

Whitney requested that overnight visits be halted due to Travis’s unstable behavior and homelessness. Despite Travis opposing the changes, the judge ruled in favor of modifying the custody arrangement, limiting overnight stays and requiring Travis to undergo evaluations for anger management and psychiatric issues.

Initially charged with custodial interference, Travis is now facing three counts of murder as authorities continue their investigation into the tragic deaths of the Decker children. The cause of their deaths has not been disclosed by investigators.