Horror as dad locks social worker out and blows himself and two children up | World | News

Two years following the baffling vanishing of his wife, a father and his two sons died in a devastating house explosion.

Susan Powell had disappeared without a trace in 2009.

After her vanishing, her husband and father of the pair’s two sons, Josh Powell, was refused custody of the young boys.

In a chilling turn of events, both he and the two youngsters were died just two days following the court proceedings in a blast at their residence in Washington in the US.

Josh Powell had deliberately detonated his own property with his two children trapped inside, reports <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/twisted-dad-faked-wifes-disappearance-35929382″ rel=”Follow” target=”_self”>the Mirror</a>.

Five-year-old Braden and seven-year-old Charles were on a supervised visit to see their father in Graham, Washington, accompanied by a social worker.

Powell left his two sons indoors and prevented the social worker from gaining entry, according to the Graham fire and rescue chief, Gary Franz, who was handling the case.

As the social worker contacted her supervisors about the incident, she detected the smell of gas.

Moments afterwards, the entire property exploded, killing Powell, alongside Braden and Charles.

Steve Downing, the solicitor representing Susan Powell’s parents, Chuck and Judy Cox, revealed at the time the children were starting to share recollections with their grandparents about the evening their mother disappeared.

He said: “They were beginning to verbalise more. The oldest boy talked about they went camping and that Mommy was in the trunk. “Mom and dad got out of the car, and Mom disappeared,” The Guardian reported.”

The young boys were living with Susan’s parents following the arrest of Josh Powell’s father, Steven, on charges relating to child abuse images and voyeurism. After his 28-year-old wife vanished, Josh Powell found himself under scrutiny when he claimed he had taken his children on a late-night trip in bitter cold conditions on the day she disappeared.

On the Wednesday before the youngsters’ horrific deaths, the judge declared he wouldn’t even contemplate returning the children to their father without a psycho-sexual assessment. Just days afterwards, Jeffrey Bassett, who was representing Powell in the custody battle, received an email stating “I’m sorry, goodbye”.

This message arrived just 10 minutes before the deadly blast.

This email convinced police it was an entirely deliberate and calculated murder of his children and suicide. Sherry Hill, a spokesperson for Washington state’s Department of Social and Health Services, detailed at the time how the incident unfolded, despite a social worker being present.

According to reports, she said: “The visit supervisor for this particular agency had taken the children to the home. When she does that, she sits through the visit and might take notes on her observations.

“She pulled up in the car, and the kids ran out ahead of her. He closed the door and locked it. She wasn’t able to get in, and that’s when she smelt gas.”

The grandparents’ solicitor, Steve Downing, added: “It’s the most horrifying thing you can imagine happening… The Coxes are absolutely devastated. They were always very fearful of him doing something like this, and he did it.”

Before murdering his two sons, Powell pleaded with the courts at his hearing by submitting a six-page written statement detailing his love for his children and his competence as a father. It read: “For over four months already, my interactions with my sons and many other aspects of my character have been investigated and documented by CPS.

“I have proven myself as a fit and loving father who provides a stable home even in the face of great adversity. … It is time for my sons to come home.”