A heartbreaking search is unfolding in Washington state for three young sisters who vanished after visiting their troubled, homeless father — a grim reminder of the dangers many American families face when broken custody arrangements intersect with unstable parents.
Paityn Decker, 9, Evelyn Decker, 8, and Olivia Decker, 5, were last seen Friday evening after going to visit their father, Travis Decker, 32, in the small city of Wenatchee. According to the Wenatchee Police Department, the girls were supposed to be returned to their mother, Whitney Decker, later that night — but Travis never showed up. Since then, the family has been left desperate and authorities have been unable to contact him or the children.
“This is a mother’s worst nightmare,” Whitney Decker pleaded on Facebook. “Travis was supposed to drop the girls off at 8 p.m., but he never did. Police tracked him heading north out of Wenatchee around 5:41 p.m., but his phone is off and every local hotel has been checked.”
Law enforcement confirmed that the visit was part of a court-approved parenting plan, but warned that Travis Decker’s failure to return the children “went outside the parameters of the agreement,” raising serious concerns.
What makes this case even more troubling is the unstable lifestyle of the father. Officials say Travis is homeless and has been living out of his white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup truck, bouncing between motels and campgrounds. His transient lifestyle adds an extra layer of risk for the safety of these young children.
Authorities have issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert through the Washington State Patrol but have stopped short of declaring an AMBER Alert, which requires stricter criteria.
Details released by police describe Travis Decker as 5 feet 8 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a light shirt and dark shorts. His pickup carries Washington license plates DC0165C. The girls were last seen wearing casual clothes — Paityn in a blue shirt and purple shorts with pink sneakers, Olivia in a coral or pink shirt, and Evelyn with blond hair and brown eyes.
The disappearance raises hard questions about custody laws and child safety, especially when one parent struggles with homelessness and instability. How can a court’s “parenting plan” truly protect children when one parent is living out of a vehicle and unaccounted for?
This tragic case is a sobering reminder of the challenges families face when the system prioritizes parental rights over children’s welfare and safety. Conservatives have long warned about the need to reform family courts and strengthen protections for vulnerable children in broken homes — cases like the Deckers’ tragically illustrate why.
Authorities are asking the public to remain vigilant. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Travis Decker or his daughters is urged to call 911 immediately.
For now, the clock is ticking for the three young girls whose safety hangs in the balance — a stark warning that America’s most vulnerable are still too often left unprotected by a broken system.
