Police hunt father of 3 slain children

MERRITT, British Columbia, April 7 (UPI) -- Homicide investigators in Merritt, British Columbia, Monday were seeking the Canadian father of three children found killed in their mobile home a day earlier.

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police statement issued about the triple homicide Sunday said the children's father, Allan Schoenborn was a suspect, the Vancouver Sun reported.

A 10-year old girl and two younger brothers were found by their mother after she returned from a brief walk to a convenience store Sunday around 2 p.m., the Sun said.

In their statement, police did not specify how the children were killed in the city northeast of Vancouver, but urged the public to stay away from Schoenborn, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., reported.

"Police are requesting that the public not approach Schoenborn if located, as he may be dangerous and has suffered from a mental illness," the statement said. "He may be traveling with a large … shepherd-retriever cross named Van Gogh, and had previously expressed wishes to camp out in the bush with this dog."

Classes at the children's school were canceled Monday and grief counselors were being arranged for the rest of the week, the report said.