An estranged father has been left devastated after he found his two-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter dead in their mother’s home on Sunday at Stinkwater, north of Pretoria – the mother remains missing.

Police spokesperson Samuel Sebola on Monday said the father of the children received a call from their mother’s employer saying she had not reported for work for three days. The couple had been having difficulties for some weeks.

The father, who now lives in Eersterus, told the police that he went to her house in Mokone block on Sunday. He said he wanted to check on the children.

“When he got there, the gate was locked and he went to the woman’s relative in the area to ask for help. A man, who is the owner of the house, went with the father to open for him,” said Sebola.

He said the men managed to unlock the front door, but they couldn’t push it open. There was something wedged behind the door.