On March 26, a 2003 GMC Yukon LX was found flipped upside down sitting at the bottom of a cliff in Westport, Calif. The car was off of the Pacific Coast Highway, and belonged to Jennifer and Sarah Hart, the parents of six adopted children.

The car, which fell over 100 feet, contained the bodies of Jennifer and Sarah Hart, as well as four of their six children. The other kids were declared missing, and authorities searched the area for any remnants. As of April 2, authorities stated they were focusing on water rescue and recovery, as well as retracing the path the family took before the crash to determine if the other three children were in the SUV with the family.

“At this point there is no obvious information to suggest either possibility,” the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said according to The Washington Post.

The victims of the crash include Sarah and Jennifer Hart, as well as children Markis, 19, Jeremiah, 14, Abigail, 14, who were all in the car, and Sierra, 12, who was found two weeks later. The other children, Devonte, 15 and Hannah, 16, are still missing.

The tragedy of the event is clear, but the intentions and cause of the crash remain foggy, authorities say. California Highway Patrol stated investigators did not find signs of an accident such as skid marks or tire tracks, and the speedometer was pinned at 90 MPH when the vehicle was found. Additionally, initial data from the air bag module suggests the vehicle was stopped at a gravel pullout 70 feet away before it accelerated and drove off of the edge. Authorities have also confirmed the driver, Jennifer H., had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.

“On the surface, it’s obviously tragic. The more information that’s surfaced,  the more it becomes an uncertain and suspicious event,” John L. ‘18 said.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office assured dozens of searchers have investigated the site and surrounding areas, however unsafe ocean conditions have not allowed for diving into the nearby water. Authorities also said they believe all eight members of the family were in the car, but do not know why they left their Washington home to drive over 500 miles to Mendocino County.

The family originally lived in a suburb of Portland, Ore., before moving to Woodland, Wash. Authorities said the family left to escape scrutiny they began facing in 2014. The criticism and spotlight resulted from a viral picture taken of son Devonte H. Devonte H. was photographed in Portland crying while hugging a police officer during a protest against a grand jury’s decision not to convict Officer Darren Wilson on the shooting of Michael Brown.

“It really is sad. With the accusations made, the racial issues, and the crash itself, it’s a suspicious, but still extremely saddening case,” Karlie S. ‘20.

The family’s mixed races within the children caused anger and suspicion over the crash, with many comments on Facebook involving questioning of the motives in adopting the children. According to friends of the Harts, they were inspirational and loving parents who always attempted to protect their children from the hate and threats they received.

However, just a few days before the crash, child service investigators began looking into the Harts for “alleged abuse and neglect.” The Washington Dept. of Social and Health Services attempted to contact the Harts on March 23, the day of the crash, and the day after.

“We have not made any findings in this investigation and we had no prior history with this family,” the agency said. “We are working with all involved law enforcement agencies on their respective investigations.”

Neighbors of the Harts confirmed there were signs the children may have been living troubled lives. Bruce DeKalb said Devonte H. consistently came to his home asking for food and indicated he was not being fed by his parents. DeKalb said Devonte H. asked both him and his wife to call Child Protective Services. Additionally, last month, another sibling, Hannah H., knocked on DeKalb’s door around 1 a.m. covered in weeds after having jumped out of a second-story window. DeKalb said she was “rattled to the bone,” according to the Washington Post.

When the family lived in Minnesota in 2011, Sarah Hart was convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault. Court records show one of the daughters, who was six at the time, showed up to school with bruises on her stomach and back. Hart told the police she had bent her daughter over the bathtub and spanked her while she lost her temper. The family was also under investigation in 2013 while living in Oregon when a family friend reportedly witnessed “controlling emotional abuse and cruel punishment” towards the Hart children. Documents released on April 23rd confirmed the Oregon Department of Human Services did know about the allegations from Minnesota when the Harts moved.

A friend of the Hart’s, Cheryl Hart, said she received a text from Sarah H. two days before the crash stating she was so sick she might have to go to the hospital. Despite the same last name, Cheryl H. said she was not a relative of the Hart family. On March 26, Cheryl H. called a Clark County dispatcher saying her friend had not responded for two days. The text was received at 3 a.m., and 911 call records reveal Cheryl H. stating neither Sarah H. or her wife Jen H. had been reached by anyone since the text. Cheryl H. checked several nearby hospitals, but none had any records of any of the Harts staying there.

“Besides the civil case, authorities now have to deal with an additional criminal case. The cause and manner of death for the passengers also have to be analyzed. Then, there’s the question of whether it was a suicide, so there’s numerous questions being asked with the new information coming out,” AP Government Teacher Gaven Jones said.