Photo shows Jennifer Hart buying groceries day before driving family off cliff

This March 20, 2016, file photo shows Hart family of Woodland, Wash., at a Bernie Sanders rally in Vancouver, Wash. The SUV carrying the Hart family accelerated straight off a scenic California cliff and authorities said the deadly wreck may have been intentional. less This March 20, 2016, file photo shows Hart family of Woodland, Wash., at a Bernie Sanders rally in Vancouver, Wash. The SUV carrying the Hart family accelerated straight off a scenic California cliff and ... more Photo: Tristan Fortsch, Associated Press Photo: Tristan Fortsch, Associated Press Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Photo shows Jennifer Hart buying groceries day before driving family off cliff 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The California Highway Patrol released a photo that shows Jennifer Hart buying groceries at a Safeway in Fort Bragg the day before she was behind the wheel of the family's SUV as it plunged off a Northern California coastal cliff.

There was initially some question whether the woman in the image was Hart, and now Officer Olegario Marin confirms the grainy security footage depicts her checking out at the store with a bunch of bananas on the counter.

Jennifer and her partner, Sarah Hart, of Woodland, Wash., were found dead on March 26 along with three of their six adopted children; the three others are unaccounted for, but may have been in the car at the time of the crash.

Authorities have said the crash may have been deliberate.

The crash happened days after Washington state authorities began investigating the Harts for possible child neglect.

Neighbors called child-welfare authorities to say one of the youngsters had been coming to their house almost daily asking for something to eat and complaining that his parents were withholding food as punishment.

Investigators last week obtained a search warrant for the family's home in Woodland and looked for itineraries, bank and phone records, credit card receipts, journals or other documents that might shed light on the case.

The large, multiracial family, led by Sarah and Jennifer Hart, both 38, grew their own food, went on road trips and took part in activist causes. One of the children, Devonte Hart, gained some fame after a photo of his embrace with a Portland officer during a 2014 Black Lives Matter protest went viral.

The three children found at the crash scene were Markis Hart, 19, Jeremiah Hart, 14, and Abigail Hart, 14. There was no sign of Hannah Hart, 16; Sierra Hart, 12; and Devonte Hart, 15.

"Our most likely scenario based on comments from family and friends is that the parents wouldn't come this far down without bringing all their kids with them," says Lt. Shannon Barney from the Mendocino County Sherriff's Office. "But until we can confirm that, we have to keep the other options open."

On Thursday, officers confirmed that they had found a cellphone that may have belonged to one of the family members near the crash scene.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.