Chad Daybell’s Brother Speaks out After Lori Vallow’s Children’s Remains Discovered

The brother of Chad Daybell has spoken out about his arrest in apparent connection to the disappearance of his step-children. According to Fox 10 reporter Justin Lum, Matt Daybell sent him a statement following reports that the remains of JJ and Tylee Vallow, children of his wife Lori Vallow, were discovered on his property in Idaho.

“The events of the past nine months have weighed heavily on our family — it has been one of the most difficult things we have ever had to go through,” the statement began. “Some in our extended family are still struggling to accept the reality that Chad could have been involved in something so terribly wrong. On behalf of myself, my wife Heather and our four children, we express our most sincere sympathies to Larry and Kay and to JJ and Tylee’s entire extended families. We are devastated by today’s news and the apparent role that Chad has played in what has transpired.”

After praising both Larry and Kay Woodcock for their strength, Daybell stresses that his relationship with his brother has been strained. In closing, he writes that they haven’t had contact with each other, and “do not know where his children stand at this time.” He also asks “for patience and compassion for them and for all our extended family as we cope with the horrific events that have come to light.”

Both of Vallow’s children, who were 7 and 17 years old, respectively, went missing back in September, while Vallow and Daybell had reportedly lied to authorities about their whereabouts and were generally uncooperative throughout the investigation. The couple also got married in Hawaii in November, which was suspicious in its own right, given that Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, had died under mysterious circumstances less than two weeks prior.

Vallow was ordered back in January by the court to turn over her children within five days. After that deadline passed, Vallow was arrested on Feb. 20 on charges of two felony counts of desertion and nonsupport of dependent children, arrests and seizures, resisting or obstructing officers, criminal solicitation to commit a crime, contempt of court, and willful disobedience of court process or order.