The two teenage children of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax have been left without parents after their father shot and killed their mother and then himself.
The tragic incident came after years of a troubled marriage and personal struggles, according to court documents reported by the New York Post.
The children, Cameron, 16, and Carys, 14, were described as bright and talented students who were dealing with the stress of their parents' difficult relationship and their father's personal struggles.
Their mother, Cerina Fairfax, 49, was their main caregiver throughout their lives and was described as their "port in the storm."
Court documents say the children had a very "tight bond" with her and depended on her "almost exclusively" for emotional support.
Justin Fairfax was struggling with alcoholism and "unaddressed emotional trauma" and had a distant bond with his son Cameron and a strained relationship with his daughter Carys.
A judge had given Cerina full custody of the children, and Justin Fairfax was only allowed to meet them on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with alcohol tests before and after each visit.
Police believe the couple's ongoing divorce may have played a role in the murder-suicide, with Justin Fairfax recently receiving legal papers about his next court date.
