A heartbroken father has spoken out after his two-year-old twins were discovered dead inside a hot car.
Marshall Suter's daughters, Ariel and Avery, were found inside a vehicle after cops responded for a welfare check in Norman, Oklahoma, around 3PM on Thursday (September 5).
According to the Norman Police Department's press release, both girls were pronounced dead at the scene.
"The initial investigation indicates that the two children were accidentally left in the vehicle for an extended period of time and were later located by family," the police department noted.
Marshall has now opened up about his heartbreak, revealing to Daily Mail that he didn't know about the deaths until 11:15PM when he "was told in person by the police that they passed away," as cited by the outlet. "My heart's been a wreck ever since," he added.
He paid tribute to his beloved twins, describing them as the "brightest and best twins the world could’ve had".
"They were loved by everyone in the family. They did everything together," he told the publication. "From the hugs to the kisses to the laughs. Their love was the most pure I had ever felt. And I won’t be able to feel that again. Mom and Dad love their baby girls."
"No day will ever be the same. Our hearts are shattered. Losing a child might have be the hardest thing ever, and I lost two. I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again," he added.
According to Metro, the temperature that day exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
It's also been reported that Ariel and Avery were left with a trusted family member who was supposed to take them to a daycare but forgot. By the time the twins were found, it was too late.
"This is truly tragic and has been very hard on the family involved especially where hateful comments are concerned. I hope this will at least show people that it wasn’t intentional and truly an accident," a family member told KFOR. "This family would just like some peace in this difficult and heavy time."
Authorities have disclosed that they are not currently recommending charges for the tragedy and revealed that the family is cooperating with the investigation.
"We would have had to determine that there was probable cause indicating a willful negligence directly linking them to the death of those children, and at this time, the investigation is just showing us that it’s far more an accident," Sarah Schettler with the Normal Police Department told KOCO 5.
Marshall's cousin Kourtnee Usey has created a GoFundMe page on behalf of the family. As of this writing, $12,435 has been raised, exceeding the $8,000 target.
She penned that the devastated father "received the most traumatic news any parent could ever receive".
"All funds will be used to give these precious little babies the funeral they deserve, and take some weight off of this father’s shoulders after dealing with such a tragic and HEARTBREAKING loss," she continued. "No one truly knows the pain of losing a child until you are going through it. I know this mom and dad are going through it."
An investigation has been launched into Ariel and Avery's deaths and an autopsy will reveal their cause of death.
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