Dad and 2 daughters found dead hours after divorce hearing, mom says she ‘fought so hard to try to keep them safe’

Two young sisters and their father were found dead inside the family’s Wisconsin home last week — just hours after a divorce hearing between the girls’ parents, according to family.

The grim scene was discovered by cops conducting a welfare check last Friday at a house in Winneconne, WLUK reported, citing police.

Inside the residence were the bodies of Jeffrey Manke, 57 and his two daughters — Lenora, 11 and 16-year-old Jaely.

Jeffrey Manke, 57, and his daughters Jaelyn Manke, 16, and Lenora Manke, 11, were found dead on Division Street in Winneconne on Friday, July 31. Court records show Jeffrey Manke was in the midst of a divorce and a court hearing had been held earlier that day. NBC 26

Just hours before the relatives were found dead, Manke and Lindsey Lewandowski, 38, had a divorce hearing, according to court records.

The marriage between Lewandowski and Manke was “irretrievably broken with no chance for reconciliation,” resulting in a nearly year-long custody battle, according to court documents obtained by The Post.

The Winnebego County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on Tuesday when asked is the trio of deaths are being investiagted as a double murder-suicide.

A restraining order filed earlier this year against Manke noted he has access to guns, according to NBC 26.

Lenora Manke, 11, Jaeylyn Manke, 16, and Jeffrey Manke, 57, were found dead on Friday inside a home in Wisconsin. Officers discovered the three after being called to the residence for a medical incident and welfare check, according to authorities. (Facebook / Lindsey Dash) Facebook / Lindsey Dash

He was also prohibited from consuming drugs or alcohol when the children were in his care, according to court documents.

Lewandowski had fought for sole custody of her daughters, but a court granted joint legal custody between her and Manke.

Both Manke and Lewandowski were deemed “fit and proper persons to be given joint legal custody” of the children, according to court documents.

But Lewandowsk alleged in a Monday Facebook post that her daughters “felt unsafe” in their father’s care.

“I’m so sad. Everyone they talked to knew they were not safe in his care. And I fought so hard to try to keep them safe,” wrote Lewandowski, who goes by the alias “Lindsey Dash” on Facebook.

“The family counselor dismissed them and refused to continue working with them. The gal knew they didn’t want to be there,” Lewandowski’s post continued, adding that CPS reports were filed and the authorities were contacted before she was “forced to send [her daughters] when they felt unsafe.” 

The heartbroken mother said her concerns fell on deaf ears.

“Nobody wanted to listen. If someone listened to their cries for help for the last 2 years, they would still be here,” said Lewandowski, adding that “the system failed my babies.”

The Winnebago Circuit Court and the Winnebago County Department of Human Services could not immediately be reached for comment.