As Ohio Dentist’s Daughter, 4, Says ‘Goodbye’ to Mom and Dad, Relative Says ‘They Shine Through Her’ (Exclusive)

A family member says the couple’s 1-year-old son was likely stuck in his crib as his parents lay deceased in their home

Spencer Tepe, Monique Tepe.Credit : gofundme; WIFR News/Pool Photo via AP

NEED TO KNOW

Monique and Spencer’s children, ages 4 and 1, were found unharmed just feet away from the slain couple inside their residence on Dec. 30
A friend who frantically called 911 from outside the Tepe residence that day told a dispatcher he could hear crying inside the house
The children are now in the care of extended family members who are figuring out ways to help them process the tragic loss, relatives tell PEOPLE

The 4-year-old daughter of slain Ohio couple Monique and Spencer Tepe recently said goodbye to her “mommy and daddy,” but carries on their infectious energy, a family member tells PEOPLE.

The Tepes’ two children, ages 4 and 1, were in their Columbus, Ohio, home with their parents early in the morning of Dec. 30 when the couple was fatally shot.

According to police estimates of when the crime occurred — between 2 and 5 a.m. — the children would’ve been in their own room nearby, according to Spencer’s brother-in-law Rob Misleh.

Later that morning, crying was heard inside the house, according to Spencer’s friend, who frantically called 911 for a welfare check and said he couldn’t get into the house.

More than two weeks since the tragic killings, the children are spending time with extended family.

The couple’s 1-year-old son, who Misleh believes was likely the one crying because he couldn’t get out of his crib, is likely too young to cognitively process his parents’ deaths, according to Misleh.

Spencer’s cousin Audrey Mackie told PEOPLE last week, “It’s, it’s unfortunate because they’ll never get to know their parents.” She added, “Maybe the eldest one might hopefully remember her parents. It’s very tragic.”

The 4-year-old daughter, known as a “ball of energy” in the family, is probably “inquisitive and intuitive enough to understand something is wrong,” Misleh tells PEOPLE.

“She’s got a big personality, not unlike her mom or her dad,” he says. “You totally see them kind of shine through her.”

While the young girl is still active and energetic, there are times when a somber mood comes over her.

“There were moments when I was with her and she was playing, jumping and having fun, and then would all of a sudden, [get] kind of real serious,” Misleh tells PEOPLE. “None of it really led to any kind of conversation, but you could just see it in her personality.”

The family is also grappling with how to explain to the kids what happened, and why their parents suddenly disappeared.

“If she wants to talk about it — we are to encourage that,” Mackie told PEOPLE last week. “We’re taking it day by day and learning how to do this as well.”

Spencer and Monique Tepe.Schoedinger Funeral & Cremation Service

Mackie says they are following the guidance of professionals, and had some books delivered last week about how to talk about such complex topics with children.

In some ways, taking care of the couple’s orphaned children is making the close-knit family even tighter.

“We have a village and our family just got bigger,” Mackie said. “And we’re all going to have to make sure that we honor Spence and Mo in the best way, and [the children] get to know them as best as possible.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to benefit the children.

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Monique’s ex-husband Michael David McKee has been arrested in connection with the killings. Ohio police have not identified a suspected motive behind the killings but claimed it was a “domestic violence crime.”

McKee’s lawyer previously said he plans to plead not guilty to the aggravated murder charges.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.