‘They were beautiful’: Friend of the mother of children found dead in Bellevue speaks out

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The father of two children who were found dead in his Bellevue home on Sunday morning is now facing charges for their deaths.

Adam Price, 35, was arrested in Pacifica, California on Sunday night. Friends and family of the mother and the two kids, Emily and Teddy, are speaking out as the community mourns their deaths.

“They were the sweetest, most loving children,” says Nikki Nielsen. “They were so funny. They were so funny.”

Nikki is best friends with Mary, the mother of Emily, 5, and Teddy, 3. Nikki tells 6 News the two of them met in high school and bonded over sharing the same last name.

“That was about 13 years ago and we’ve just been friends ever since, we never lost that connection,” she says.

Mary and Adam married in 2016, according to court records. In December of 2020, Adam filed for divorce, and one day later requested custody of the children.

Mary recently moved back to her hometown of Rock Falls, Illinois. Since the kids lived mostly in Nebraska, Nikki says she only met them a handful of times.

Last weekend, however, the kids and Mary had a sleepover at her home with her own daughters. She says 5-year-old Emily was ecstatic.

“She was just the happiest little girl ever, she was so excited, she had girls to play with, girls to gossip with. Even though she was only 5, there was still so much gossip,” Nikki says. “And Teddy. Teddy was just the most loveable little boy.”

Mary and Adam had a rocky relationship, Nikki says. After they divorced, Nikki says Mary spent every dime trying to gain full custody of Emily and Teddy.

“I hope they realize that we’re not just making things up when we say they’re abusing our children, we’re not making it up when we say that they are not fit,’ Nikki says, referring to the courts and judges.

Emily and Teddy’s bubbly, cheerful, loving personalities will carry on, but the grief following their loss is unfathomable to many.

“You don’t want to think about them that way, as being gone. I keep saying ‘was’ and it’s just - that is the hardest word.”

Nikki has started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for funeral expenses.

Price faces his first court appearance and extradition hearing in California on Tuesday afternoon.

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