Inset: Jaelyn Manke (left) and Lenora Manke (GiveSendGo). Background: News footage of the home in Winneconne, Wis., where Jeffrey Manke and his daughters were found dead (WBAY).
A Wisconsin father who was found dead with his two daughters was reportedly the subject of concerns about his collection of weapons.
Jeffrey Manke, 57, was identified by police as one of three people found dead in a home in Winneconne, Wisconsin, on July 31, when police were called to the home for a welfare check. Manke's two daughters, 16-year-old Jaelyn Manke and 11-year-old Lenora Manke, were also found deceased. Authorities have not released the causes of death, but the girls' mother, Lindsay Lewandowski, has spoken out on social media to say that her daughters "were not safe" when with their father.
According to online court records, Manke and Lewandowski were both in court on July 31 to finalize their divorce.
Local NBC affiliate WGBA obtained court records related to the divorce proceedings and reported that a restraining order was issued against Manke earlier this year. One of the documents related to the restraining order noted that Manke had access to firearms. WGBA reported a list of 14 items in Manke's firearm collection, which included six handguns, three shotguns, and four rifles. Manke reportedly owned an AK-47, a Glock 21, and several Ruger handguns and rifles.
According to WGBA's reporting on the divorce documents, a hearing to discuss his firearm collection and his health had been scheduled four days before Manke and his daughters were found dead. Online court records indicated that Manke was not looking for work and filing for disability due to a health issue.
Lewandowski, who uses the name "Lindsay Dash" on Facebook, wrote on Monday that her daughters "were not safe" and "felt unsafe" with their father. The former couple had joint custody of the two girls, and Lewandowski was seeking full custody, according to online court records. Lewandowski wrote that despite the girls' apprehension around their father, "[t]he family counselor dismissed them and refused to continue working with them. The [government-appointed lawyer] knew they didn't want to be there. [CPS] reports were made. Cops were called."
Lewandowski claimed, "The system failed my babies."
Lewandowski's friends started a GiveSendGo fundraiser for funeral and living expenses.
The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the three deaths.
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