A 37-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after his two children were found deceased in a vehicle in northwest Calgary.

Calgary police said officers were called just after 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, to the 4500 block of 14 Street N.W., where they located a vehicle with two deceased children inside.

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Police said the victims have been identified as a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl.

Police said the deaths were considered suspicious and the Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit began investigating.

One man was taken into custody at the scene. Police said the children’s father has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

He has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, May 4.

There is a court-imposed publication ban on identifying information of the victims and witnesses. Police said the names of the children and the accused cannot be released at this time.

During a Friday afternoon media availability, Staff Sgt. Mark Rahn of the Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit said the accused contacted 911, stated he had killed his children and gave his location.

Officers found him parked on 14 Street N.W. in the 4500 block, where he had been directed during the 911 call to place his vehicle keys on the hood and exit, Rahn said.

Police waited to release further information because investigators needed to confirm what had happened, who was responsible and that the children were the accused’s.

Police were called to a residence the day before the children were found deceased as a result of what Rahn described as a custody situation.

The children were picked up the day before, sometime between about 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., under an arrangement to spend a few hours with their father, Rahn said.

He said there were no indications at that point of anything untoward.

The children did not return, and their mother contacted police, Rahn said.

There were no custody orders in place at the time, he said.

Rahn said there was no protective order in place.

The couple had a domestic history with Calgary police, with officers responding on four occasions. No charges were laid in those domestic investigations, and there was never any violence against the children, he said.

Police later learned during the investigation that the accused had travelled west of Calgary for a period of time, returned to the city at about 8 a.m. and contacted 911 at about 10 a.m., Rahn said.

He said he could not disclose how the children died, saying that information will come out through the court process.

Autopsies were ongoing Friday afternoon, Rahn said.

“This is a devastating and unimaginable loss. Our hearts are with the victims’ loved ones, and with the officers and first responders who both attended the scene and who are seeing through the investigation,” Rahn said in the news release. “These are extraordinarily difficult investigations, both professionally and personally, and we are committed to getting justice for these victims.”

Rahn said police remain focused on verifying details and collecting evidence for future court proceedings, while also abiding by the court-imposed publication ban.

Police also issued a clarification Friday, saying Thursday’s statement incorrectly identified the location as the 4300 block of 14 Street N.W. The correct location is the 4500 block of 14 Street N.W.

Calgary police said the incident is deeply upsetting and will greatly impact the families and loved ones of the children, along with the entire community.

The Calgary Police Service said its Victim Assistance Support Team is available to victims and witnesses of crime or tragedy.

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