The mother of a toddler found dead in a wooded area of northeast Iowa claims she and her two sons were attacked by a man with a knife. DCI agent Jeff Jacobson says Michelle Kehoe told police about the attack when they arrived on the scene Monday morning near Littleton.
However, Jessica Lown with the Iowa Department of Public Safety says the investigation is focusing on a number of scenarios. "That includes the possibility that maybe somebody attacked the Kehoe family," Lown said. "That doesn’t exclude a number of other scenarios or possibilities. Agents are doing their best to make sure that they’re following the path that the evidence takes them down."
An autopsy found that 2-year-old Seth Kehoe died of cuts made with a sharp instrument. Michelle Kehoe and her 7-year-old son Sean were found injured in the family’s van, but details about how they were hurt are not being released. The Kehoes, who are from Coralville, were discovered after Michelle walked to a house and told the occupants her children were in danger.
Authorities continue to say they do not believe the public is at risk from anyone connected with the case. "We don’t believe that there is someone running around out there randomly attacking families," Lown explained. "Evidence hasn’t taken us down that path, we don’t believe that’s the case and so that’s why we don’t believe that people in that area of Buchanan County are in harm’s way right now."
Last December, Michelle Kehoe and her sons were rescued from the Iowa River. She told investigators she was distracted by her sons, lost control of the van and ended up in the water. Iowa City Police Sergeant Troy Kelsay says he has reviewed the report from the December crash and didn’t see anything that would indicate it was something other than an accident.