Woman's Dismembered Remains Found in Storage Unit After Husband Said She’d Died in Childbirth

A 34-year-old father is behind bars in Kansas, where authorities allegedly found him living inside a small storage unit in Lenexa with his two young daughters and a portable cooler containing the dismembered remains of his wife, PEOPLE confirms.

A law enforcement spokesman tells PEOPLE criminal charges have not yet been filed in the death of Jessica Monteiro Rey, the woman whose remains authorities discovered inside a cooler being carted around by her husband, Justin Rey.

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According to officials, police in Lenexa received a complaint about someone sleeping in a storage unit on Oct. 26. They went to the storage facility to investigate, and allegedly found Rey with his two daughters, a toddler and a five-day-old infant.

Image zoom Emily Rittman-KCTV5/Facebook

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Police looked inside a cooler within the unit, and allegedly found human remains in several pieces.

FOX 4 spoke to a man who claims he met Rey at a bar in Waldo, and agreed to drive him to a local train station. The news station reports that they first stopped at Rey’s storage unit to pick up what he needed for the trip.

Image zoom Justin Rey Emily Rittman-KCTV5/Facebook

As they were about to leave the storage facility, the man — who spoke on condition of anonymity — said police cars pulled up and arrested Rey.

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Officials allege Rey told investigators his wife died while giving birth in a Missouri motel. He has been charged with two counts each of endangering a child and contributing to a child’s misconduct. Police allege Rey did not have diapers or food for the two girls inside the storage unit.

Rey is being held on $1 million bail. He has not entered pleas to the charges he faces, and it was unclear Tuesday if he has retained an attorney who could comment on his behalf.