Missing Frisco Mother Found Dead, Children Alive
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The search for missing Frisco mother Christine Woo and her three children ended Thursday night when they were found in the family SUV in a McKinney parking lot. Woo was dead, but all three children were alive.
Hospital officials at Children's Health aren't releasing information about their conditions, but CBS11 sources are giving new details about how they're doing.
All three of the children suffered from severe body rash from sitting in their own filth and waste for days. The youngest child, a 1-year-old baby girl, is in critical condition.
Woo was found dead in the family's SUV Thursday night in the parking lot of a SuperTarget in McKinney. It's a lot just across the street from the McDonald's where credit card records show she took the children Monday. The children were all taken to the hospital to be evaluated, but it isn't clear exactly how long they were there or what kind of food and water they had with them.
While the hospital is not releasing the patient conditions, they did release a brief statement from the childrens' father, Brandon Woo, who wrote, "Thank you for your thoughts and concern for the wellbeing of my family. We request that everyone please respect our privacy as we focus on healing."
Frisco Police are reviewing surveillance video from that McKinney SuperTarget to see if they can find anything that would give them more clues. It's not yet known how Woo died or when. Investigators expect the medical examiner's office to have more information next week. At this point there's no evidence a crime was committed, but the investigation will continue.
What also remains unclear is exactly how long the children stayed in that SUV.
Those close to the family have offered their support for Brandon Woo and his children. Music teacher Eileen Tan taught all three kids who attended classes at her Frisco studio along with both parents. She says she hopes returning the children back to familiar routines will help with their recovery.
"I would love to see them, but I don't know. It's like when I look at those children, I see Christine," Tan said.
Just days before Woo and her three children disappeared, the family was at Tan's Frisco music studio where they would spend entire Saturdays studying music together. Tan says Christine was especially enthusiastic about the classes.
"She really wanted to do this, and she was gung-ho about having Lauren getting started in piano. She says 'I love the Yamaha 'cause it's exposure. There's other children in the class, so it will be good for her social develpoment. I don't want her to be in a class by herself,' " Tan said.
Now loved ones hope they can help the surviving family members any way they can.
"I would just say, 'hang in there. This is not easy, but just plow through it, and get all the help that you can, and just accept it graciously,' " Tan said.
A spokesperson for the family's church said they have also had members of their youth ministry at the hospital to help comfort the family.
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