Murder-Suicide Victims Funeral Service Early Thursday

Private funeral services for a mother and her three daughters were scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Manchester.

The Adewumni family said Christine Adewunmi, 37, and children Kate Adewunmi, 3, Samantha Adewunmi, 6, and Lauren Adewunmi, 8, were members of the church.

Earlier, on Tuesday, would not be made public. 

The bodies of the Ballwin mother and her daughters  on the Meramec River. Associated Press reported each had one bullet wound to the head.

Authorities said the mother apparently shot and killed the three before turning the weapon on herself. 

Christine Adewunmi, the mother, was being treated for depression, according to a statement from the family, and had been hospitalized a day or two prior to the shooting.

The three young girls were Parkway School District students, and Christine Adewumni was a physical education teacher at Parkway North High School for nearly a decade until 2006.

The Archdiocese's announcement about the private funeral was as follows:

ADEWUNMI FUNERAL DETAILS WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED 

Out of respect for family, ceremony will be kept private 

A West County family that is grieving the deaths of a mom and three children, has asked that they be allowed to grieve privately. The Adewunmi family are not releasing any details of the wake, funeral, or burial to the media. Out of respect for this grieving family, media will not be permitted at these services.

A spokesperson told Patch that a  pastor had been meeting with others of the family.

Leonard Adewunmi reported his wife and daughters missing Friday evening. The bodies were found Saturday by a camper.

Wikipedia says the Roman Catholic Church considers suicide a "serious" or "grave" sin, but that the church prays for those victims. "God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance,"according to Wikipedia, quoting Catechism No. 2283.

Contact information for the Archdiocese: Office of Communications and Planning, 20 Archbishop May Drive St. Louis  63119 and communications@archstl.org