(MINNESOTA) — The bodies of three children, ages 3-5, were pulled from a lake in Minneapolis, their deaths ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.

Molly Cheng, a 23 year-old tattoo and beauty artist, had killed her children the same day she reported to police that her husband fatally shot himself in their Maplewood home on July 1.

When Cheng vowed that she would “kill her kids and herself,” a family member immediately called law enforcement.

Police issued a statewide alert and then law enforcement tracked Cheng’s phone to an area near the lake and found her car.

Officers began searching around the area, and located several pairs of children’s’ shoes washed up on shore.

According to authorities, Quadrillion T. Lee, 4, was pulled first from the lake at 7:32 p.m. Estella Zoo Siab Lee, 3, and Phoenix Lee, 5, were found in the lake the following day.

“The lake is fairly shallow, with depths between 5 to 10 feet deep,” said Ramsey County Water Patrol Commander Eric Bradt. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years. This was one of the more difficult ones.”

Cheng’s body was also pulled out of the lake on Saturday, with her death ruled as suicide.

Ramsey County Undersheriff Mike Martin asserted “Our hearts go out to the families involved here and their friends. Our goal was to find the children and the mother and to return them to their families, and we’re glad we were able to do that.”

Staff Writer, Julianna Caban, contributed to the story.