Deaths of father, children in Cameron remain unsolved

CAMERON, Mo. - The circumstances that led to the death of a 35-year-old man and his two young children Friday remain mysterious after a Saturday morning press conference held by Cameron Police.

Robert Borchardt, age 35, and his children Chelsey Borchardt, age 9, and Tucker Borchardt, age 7, were found dead in their home Friday afternoon by the children’s mother.

Police and family members said she shared custody of the children with Robert Borchardt and became concerned when the children didn’t come to her home on the bus Friday afternoon after school.

The mother reportedly called the school and learned that the children never arrived Friday; then went to the father’s home, where she discovered the bodies of all three.

Police said there were signs of a fire in the kitchen and an odor of smoke in the house when they arrived late Friday afternoon.

However, on Saturday they refused to comment on the cause of the trio’s deaths, except to say there were no obvious signs of foul play and no reason to suspect criminal activity was involved. They said they were investigating the deaths as accidental going forward.