MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — A south Alabama woman drowned her two children, ages 2 and 5, before she took her own life, Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said Friday.

The bodies of the three were found Thursday at their home in Semmes. Burch told news outlets that autopsies showed that 2-year-old Jacob Johnson and 5-year-old Mia Johnson died from drowning. Nancy Johnson, 37, died by suicide, he said.

The children were found deceased on a sofa with a blanket covering them.

“It’s just tragic,” Burch said at a news conference.

The children’s parents were embroiled in a divorce and custody battle, and court records indicate the woman had dealt with mental health issues, the sheriff said.

The children’s father discovered the bodies. Burch said the father has cooperated with the investigation and has been cleared of involvement.

Court records show that the woman’s husband filed for divorce last month. A judge on Sept. 26 ordered the two to share custody of the children.

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