Causes of Death Revealed for Mom and Son, 3, Found Dead in Park amid Custody Battle

An Amber Alert was issued for Savannah Kriger and her son on March 18 after they went missing

The Texas mother who was found dead in a park next to her 3-year-old son died by suicide, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed.

On March 19, the bodies of Savannah Kriger, 32, of San Antonio and her son, Kaiden, were found shot to death at a park.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE that her death was ruled a suicide and Kaiden’s was ruled a homicide. The cause of death for both was a gunshot to the head.

On March 18, authorities issued an Amber Alert for the mother and son after they went missing.

Savannah was last seen leaving work early on March 18 to pick up her son from daycare and take him to a doctor’s appointment, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said on March 19.

She was last seen leaving her son’s daycare at approximately 2 p.m. She was driving a white 2023 Lincoln Aviator that was later found abandoned in Tom Slick Park off State Highway 151E, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities issued the Amber Alert after they found “concerning evidence” at the house where Savannah and Kaiden lived, the sheriff’s office said, KSAT reported.

Later that day, Sheriff Javier Salazar held a news conference and reported that the case was now being handled as a homicide after authorities found two bodies in that park.

They were both found with gunshot wounds to the head, the sheriff’s office said, MySanAntonio.com reports.

A gun was found near the bodies, which were located in a drainage ditch in the park.

Sheriff Salazar said the deaths occurred a day before Savannah had to go to court for a custody hearing about Kaiden, KSAT reports.

Savannah and Kaiden’s father were embroiled in a custody dispute, Sheriff Salazar said, WPDE reports.