Story By: Georgina Jadikovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

A German dad in what friends and relatives described as the ideal family has apparently murdered his wife and two young daughters before starting a blaze and lying alongside his wife’s body on a bed before also being claimed by the flames.

Frank Robers, 47, from the German city of Bremen died in the blaze in his own house on 22nd April 2021.

He had allegedly previously killed his wife Antje, 40, and their two daughters Julie, 5, and Helen, 3.

The 47-year-old man was an employee of the city of Bremen, while his wife was a German and an English teacher in a local school.

Investigators initially suspected that Frank drugged his wife and their daughters with sleeping pills, however, this was not confirmed by the autopsy at least of his wife.

Senior Public Prosecutor Frank Passade told local newspaper Bild: “The man first strangled his wife to the point of unconsciousness. Then he stabbed her. He suffocated the two children. Whether they were previously drugged with sleeping pills is still being investigated. The toxicological results are still pending. “

After the act, Frank Robers allegedly laid down next to his wife and set their house on fire. He died after inhaling too much smoke which came from the flames.

When neighbours discovered the smoke on Thursday morning at 9.30am, they immediately made an emergency call at the fire department. The rescue operation started at 9.35am.

The firemen were able to rescue only three-year-old Helen, who was resuscitated at the scene but died later in the hospital.

Shocked by the incident, neighbours claimed the family showed no signs of any marriage problems, debts or illnesses.

They even took part in “The NDR quiz show” hosted by TV presenter Jorg Pilawa three weeks prior to the incident.

An elderly neighbour told Bild: “They were so happy. A true picture-perfect family. Terrible. What was going on with Frank?”

Colleagues at Immobilien Bremen, a public law institution where Frank worked said: “Frank was an absolutely reliable, experienced colleague. Nobody thought he could do something like that.”

The public prosecutor’s office has not revealed any information about the circumstances of the family’s death and is currently investigating the background of the crime.

Police spokesperson Franka Haedke said: “According to the current state of the investigation, he [Frank] set the house on fire after which he himself died from the fire.”

Senior Public Prosecutor Frank Passade said: “The motive and type of murder are still part of the investigation. We’ll know more next week.”