Mom of 3 Girls Allegedly Murdered By Dad Travis Decker Breaks Silence: 'They Were Incredible'

Whitney Decker spoke through tears at a memorial Friday for her three daughters, who were allegedly murdered by their father, and her ex-husband, Travis Decker.

"I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives lives on in everyone's heart forever," the grieving mom told the thousands of mourners on hand to pay tribute to Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, in a video shared by NBC affiliate King 5 Seattle. "They were incredible."

The memorial marked the first time Whitney had spoken publicly since the girls were allegedly found suffocated and bound at a Washington state campground following a custody visit with their father.

Whitney also recalled her divorce from Travis, and how she says her daughters learned to express their feelings amid the difficult time for their family, per King 5 News.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Whitney's attorney Arianna Cozart, shared that she and Travis, a 32-year-old homeless Army veteran, split in 2022 due to Travis's ongoing struggles with mental health, including paranoia and borderline personality disorder.

"After my divorce, there were a lot of feelings flowing through my house -- especially with three small, tiny women," she said.

"When the world slowed down, it gave me an inside look at their day," Whitney said of the exchange, which often happened at bedtime. "I believe doing this with them allowed them to come into the world with open hearts and kindness."

Whitney ended her speech by thanking everyone who attended the service at Rocky Reach Park in Wenatchee, Washington for their "outpouring of love."

Decker was last seen May 30 when he took the girls for a "planned visitation." They were reported as missing when Travis never returned with the girls that night.

The three sisters were discovered just days later, June 2, reportedly with plastic bags on their heads and zip ties around their wrists near Rock Island Campground, not far from where Travis' abandoned truck was also found. Officials later determined they had died from suffocation.

Authorities are still searching for Travis, with the manhunt nearing its fourth week. While Cozart said she believes that he's likely taken his own life, federal authorities have joined the search -- with Chelan County Sheriff Michael Morrison sharing his concerns last week that "misguided" sympathizers might try to help the fugitive stay on the run.

"I mean, he's accused of murder -- not just once, but three times -- and he is a danger," the sheriff stressed.