Authorities have not released the causes or circumstances of the three deaths, which remain under investigation.
WINNECONNE, Wis. — A father and his two daughters were found dead inside a Wisconsin home hours after a court finalized the parents’ divorce, authorities and court records said.
Officers conducting a welfare check found Jeffrey Manke, 57, and his daughters, 16-year-old Jaelyn Manke and 11-year-old Lenora Manke, at a home in the 500 block of Division Street on July 31. The Winneconne Police Department, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and county medical examiner later confirmed their identities.
Police said officers were sent to the house at about 7 p.m. in response to a medical incident and welfare check. Investigators described the deaths as an isolated incident and said there was no continuing threat to the public. They have not announced how the three died or said whether they are seeking a suspect.
The discovery came several hours after a hearing in the divorce case involving Manke and the girls’ mother, Lindsay Lewandowski. Online court records cited by local news organizations said a judge granted the divorce after finding that the marriage was irretrievably broken and could not be reconciled.
The timing of the deaths and the court proceeding has drawn attention to the family’s custody dispute. However, authorities have not established a motive or publicly connected the divorce ruling to the deaths. The investigation remained open as of Thursday, and officials had released few details about the evidence found inside the home.
Lewandowski said in a public social media statement that she had repeatedly raised concerns about her daughters’ safety while they were staying with their father. She said the girls had expressed fear and that reports had been made to police and child protective services.
“I was legally forced to send them when they felt unsafe,” Lewandowski wrote. “Nobody wanted to listen.” She said she believed the family court and child welfare systems had failed her daughters. Her statements describe her account of the custody dispute and have not been adopted as investigative findings by authorities.
Published reports citing court records said the parents had shared legal custody during the divorce case, which began in 2024. Details about individual reports to police, counselors or child welfare agencies have not been publicly released, and those agencies have not provided a full response to Lewandowski’s claims.
Jaelyn and Lenora attended Richard’s School of Dance in Oshkosh, according to a statement from the school. Friends and relatives remembered the sisters as kind children who were devoted to their family and faith. Community members organized fundraising and meal assistance to help their mother with memorial costs and daily expenses while she grieves.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office has asked anyone with information about the deaths to contact investigators. Officials have not announced when autopsy findings or further investigative details may be released.
Author note: Last updated August 6, 2026.