What did Bernadine Pruessner do? Incident explored as Missouri college professor and four children killed in house fire

Missouri woman, 39-year-old Bernadine Pruessner allegedly killed her children and herself by setting a mattress on fire. The kids were reportedly sleeping in the morning when the tragic incident struck on Monday, February 19, 2024. Police have further revealed the identities of the deceased children.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to the death of children. Readers' discretion is advised.

After the preliminary investigation, law enforcement officials determined that it was a case of murder-suicide. According to court documents, Bernadine was having custody battles of her children, since a few months before the murder-suicide took place.

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Missouri college professor Bernadine Pruessner allegedly set a mattress on fire which then killed her four children

A horrific incident took place on Monday in a residence in Ferguson when a 39-year-old college professor killed her four kids and herself after setting fire to the house. The children have been identified as two 9-year-old twins, Ellie and Ivy Pruessner; 6-year-old Jackson Spader; and 2-year-old Millie Spader.

On Wednesday, authorities from the St. Louis County Police Department determined that the case was a murder-suicide. The New York Post reported a statement by the department in their publication, where they said,

"It is believed that Bernadine intentionally set a mattress on fire as that was the point of origin for the fire."

NBC News reported that Bernadine Pruessner had the twins with David Pruessner, while Jared Spader is the father of Millie and Jackson. The fathers have expressed their grief since the horrific deaths of the kids. KSDK obtained a statement they released, according to which,

"As dads, right now we have to focus on honoring the four beautiful lives, and we plan to do that together."

It was a neighbor who woke up in the morning and found flames coming out of the house that Bernadine and her children were in. According to police, they died of smoke inhalation.

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Bernadine had custody battles with the two fathers of her four children

The fire broke out at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, and a few hours before, at about 12:15 a.m., Bernadine Pruessner posted an update on Facebook, where she wrote about her kids. According to the post,

"All my kids, peacefully sleeping in my bed…Knowing they are loved so fiercely that I’d do absolutely anything for them. This is my favorite moment."

The New York Post reported Bernadine's background. According to that, she divorced David in 2017. Till last year, the divorced couple shared joint custody of the twins. The arrangement continued until Bernadine wanted to relocate to Creve Coeur, but was criticized by her ex-husband David.

David was concerned because even though the new place would be closer to him, Bernadine's mum also lived nearby. According to court documents, David claimed that her mother was "psychotic." Nathan Cohen, Bernadine Pruessner's attorney said,

"The first case that I’ve ever had where the parent objected to the other parent moving closer to the other parent."

Meanwhile, she was also involved in a custody battle with Jared, who she was in a relationship with. According to Cohen, it was financially inconvenient and stressful for Bernadine Pruessner to afford all the legal costs.