In a heartbreaking turn of events that unfolded in Saint Louis, Missouri, 5-year-old Ethan Alexander Cadenbach, a young boy, tragically lost his life on November 5, 2016. His death was the result of a horrific murder-suicide orchestrated by his own father, Christopher Cadenbach, who also took the life of Ethan's 4-year-old brother, Owen. The devastating incident was the culmination of a history of domestic violence and escalating threats from Christopher against his estranged wife and
children.
The harrowing day began to unfold after Christopher Cadenbach, who had an active arrest warrant for domestic violence, spent time with his sons. His increasingly erratic and threatening behavior prompted his own mother to contact the police with concerns for the children's safety. This led to the issuance of an Amber Alert for Ethan and Owen as law enforcement agencies began an urgent search for the boys and their father. Christopher had made ominous statements, including not being taken alive and mentioning the possibility of 'suicide by cop.'
The search for the missing children came to a tragic conclusion at Cliff Cave Park. As police officers closed in on Christopher Cadenbach's vehicle, he shot his two sons before turning the gun on himself. Ethan and Owen were found critically injured in the backseat of the car and were rushed to a hospital, where they were both pronounced dead. An autopsy later revealed that each boy had suffered a single gunshot wound. Christopher Cadenbach also died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The community was left to grapple with the senseless loss of two innocent lives. It was revealed that in the days leading up to the tragedy, Christopher had physically abused his estranged wife and had expressed a desire to cause a shocking act of violence in their community. As the perpetrator of the double murder was deceased, there were no further arrests or suspects in the case. The incident served as a stark and painful reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
