Family members had said Monday before the discovery of the girls two brothers, William, 7, and Seth, 6, that they fear the girls may have been betrothed to a man for marriage by their father, John Coltharp, who was arrested Saturday.
s are so extremist I wouldnt put it past him to put a bullet in their heads, Ray said Monday. John Coltharp has told family members it would be preferable to kill the children so they could go to heaven rather than let the government take custody of them, said Rays husband, Greg Ray, 30.
John Coltharp persuaded his father, Keith Coltharp, to quit his job as an accountant at Lockheed Martin and his mother to quit her job at a Highlands Ranch nurses office and move to Spring City two years ago, Soble said.
The Coltharps grew up in Highlands Ranch and were members of the Mormon church, Soble said. At the age of 16, Soble joined the Mormon church and married John Coltharp, who immediately began brainwashing her about beliefs not held by the church, she said.They moved from Colorado to Provo, Utah, in
refused. They separated, but continued living in the same apartment, one living upstairs and the other downstairs. John Coltharp quit his job in May and took their four children with him to live with his parents in Spring City, Soble said. Soble couldnt pay rent on her wages alone, she said.
Soble said she filed for divorce and obtained sole custody of her children. She said she hasnt been able to sleep and lives in constant fear for her children. Police and family members have received tips that John Coltharp is in a mountain retreat where he has stockpiled weapons and food.