Idaho remains identified as missing children

June 10 (UPI) -- Prosecutors and family members identified human remains found at an Idaho home where a man was arrested Tuesday as two children who have been missing since September.

The remains of Tylee Ryan, 17, and Joshua, "J.J." Vallow, 7, were identified after investigators with warrants searched the Rexburg, Idaho, property of their stepfather, apocalyptic "doomsday" author Chad Daybell, and took him into custody Tuesday.

Family members released a statement confirming that the bodies found "are indeed our beloved JJ and Tylee."

Grandparents Larry and Kay Woodcock of Louisiana and Tylee's family, the Ryans, said in their statement: "We are filled with unfathomable sadness that these two bright stars were stolen from us, and only hope they died without pain or suffering."

Daybell was charged Wednesday and is being held on $1 million bail with two counts of felony destruction and concealment of evidence.

Daybell's wife, the children's mother Lori Vallow, has been held on $1 million bail since her arrest in March, when she was charged with child abandonment and obstruction of justice.

Local authorities and the FBI have searched for the children for months.

The children were reported missing in September of 2019 by relatives who had not heard from them for months.

Idaho authorities inquiring after the children's welfare found that Vallow and Daybell had abruptly fled to Hawaii. Lori Vallow was arrested in Hawaii and extradited to Idaho.

Investigators also have followed the couple through the mysterious deaths of both of their former spouses and Vallow's brother over the past year.

Daybell, who was once affiliated with the Mormon church, was the author of more than a dozen apocalyptic novels focusing on the biblical end times. His first wife, and mother of his five children, Tammy Daybell, died under mysterious circumstances two weeks before he married Vallow. Daybell was Vallow's fifth husband.

Lori Vallow's late estranged husband Charles Vallow accused her in divorce papers of having delusions of being a reincarnated god-like being "who cannot taste death."

Vallow's brother Alex Cox shot and killed Charles Vallow in Chandler, Ariz., in July, 2019, telling police it was in self defense. Cox then died himself under unclear circumstances a few months later.

The children were last seen together in September at Yellowstone National Park, and J.J. was taken out of school later in the month by his mother, who said she wanted to home-school the child.