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A former soldier alleged to have suffocated his three daughters to death might have died after fleeing into the unforgiving mountainous wilderness of Washington state.

Police have announced that there is no substantial evidence confirming the survival of Travis Decker after a laborious search of the region where he disappeared after failing to return his children, nine-year-old Paityn, eight-year-old Evelyn, and five-year-old Olivia, following a custody visit.

Their remains, along with Decker's vehicle, were found at a campsite near Leavenworth, Washington, sparking a massive manhunt for their father, who was suspected of their murder.

Despite a sighting by hikers in Washington about a week later, who spotted a figure resembling the 32-year-old father before he vanished from police radar, officials now suspect Decker may have either died or fled beyond their reach. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office has said: "There is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area."

Officials added: "Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching. Still, we can't and won't quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he's at large."

Authorities also acknowledged that Decker would have found it hard to leave Washington due to his lack of appropriate gear for navigating the challenging rural landscapes, despite his history as an infantryman in the US Army from March 2013 to July 2021.

Specially trained dogs that can detect human remains have been deployed throughout Washington in the urgent manhunt for a fugitive, the Mirror reports.

Sheriff's Inspector Chris Whitsett explained: "Because of the ruggedness, the remoteness of the of that country, and some of the conditions that we've observed, it's clear that the longer he stays out there - the longer anybody stays out there - the greater the chance that something's gonna happen, and whether he intends it or not, that he's gonna die."