Residents in Merritt, B.C. left a community meeting with RCMP and city officials without their questions answered on Thursday.
The meeting was held for residents and parents who are concerned about the 24-hour delay between the discovery of the murders and the search for the prime suspect in the case, Allan Dwayne Schoenborn, the father of the children.
But police refused to take questions from the audience, and parents and residents remain on edge as Schoenborn, 40, is still at large.
One man said he doesn't want to send his children back to Diamond Vale Elementary until the suspect is caught.
Questions continue to emerge as details surface about the months and weeks leading up to the murders.
CTV News has learned RCMP officers attended the home of the murdered children on three other occasions in the past six months due to concerns about their home lives.
But a justice of the peace who was dealing with Schoenborn in early April wasn't aware of that, nor the fact Schoenborn had violated a peace bond meant to keep his wife safe, when he ordered him released, said B.C.'s top provincial court judge.
"It would have been relevant to know that," said Chief Judge Hugh Stansfield . "(The justice of the peace) then would have to balance that with the advice that he was receiving from the police officer, that there was no friction known of between Mr. Schoenborn and the ex-wife at that time."
On April 6, the bodies of 10-year-old Kaitlynne, eight-year-old Max, and five-year-old Cordon were found by their their mother, Darcie Clarke. Clarke had gone out for a few minutes to run an errand.
Schoenborn had returned to the house only days before. The previous week he was arrested for uttering threats to a principal and a child at his daughters' school.
But Schoenborn was released over the phone on bail by a justice of the peace.
It's not clear whether providing the justice of the peace with more information would have kept Schoenborn behind bars.
"There is a common thread that runs through these types of incidents, and it's the inability or inability of certain agencies to share information," said Chief Coroner Terry Smith.
Warning signs from Schoenborn?
Last May, Allan Schoenborn was charged with threatening to kill his wife, but the charge was stayed. A modified restraining order -- a peace bond -- was put in place.
On February 26, Schoenborn pled guilty to violating the terms of the peace bond, and was fined $200.
On April 3, he was charged with uttering threats to the principal and a child at his daughter's school.
He appeared by telephone before a justice of the peace for a bail hearing the same day -- and bail was granted.
But Stansfield said the RCMP failed to pass along pertinent information.
The justice of the peace didn't know that in August 2007, Schoenborn was charged with breaching the terms of his peace bond.
"There was most directly or significantly a direct question posed by the J.P. to the police officer when he asked if there was 'friction' between Schoenborn or his wife, and he answered, 'no,'" said Stansfield.
"He wasn't aware that in August 2007 [Schoenborn] was charged with breaching the term or two terms of that peace bond," he said.
The children's last hours
The owner of the Ponderosa Outdoor Sports Store in Merritt, Ed Hendricks, remembers 10-year-old Kaitlynne visiting his store only hours before she was found dead.
Schoenborn was browsing fishing equipment, but he left without buying anything.
It wasn't until Hendricks's staff saw his picture on TV later that day that they realized who Schoenborn was, Hendricks said.
"I was a bit surprised," said Hendricks.
A school reopens amid grief
In Merritt, Diamond Vale Elementary School reopened its doors on Wednesday under police guard.
RCMP are standing by the front doors of the school and the remaining doors will be locked.
Police say tips are pouring in from all across B.C. and other Western provinces as to where Schoenborn might be hiding, and investigators continue to examine the crime scene.
Shannon Ward, a Parent Advisory Committee member and parent at the school, said some parents are choosing to keep their kids at home.
"There's a lot of mixed feelings about it, confusion, some fear," she said. "Some parents are saying they are not going to send their kids to school."
The school is providing crisis support for children and parents.
Ward said although she did not know the Schoenborn family personally, she would see them on their way to school.
"My youngest daughter and her friends have survivor's guilt now, they don't want to play and be happy when (the victims) can't do that anymore," she said.
Police are asking anyone with any information to contact Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4264 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
An account has been set up to help support the children's mother. Members of the public wishing to contribute can contact the Interior Savings Credit Union. Ask for account 1186709.
With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV British Columbia's Julia Foy, Michele Brunoro and Carrie Stefanson
