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CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix rescue worker discovered the bodies of three people this morning — Lyana Serieux, 24, Jordan Serieux, 10, and Jeremiah Serieux, 5, on the beach near Halfpenny Bay.

The Serieux family were found badly burned on the beach near Estate Catherine’s Rest during an official search of the area by authorities about 11:30 a.m. today.

Police believe they found the badly burned Toyota Yaris of Lyana Serieux in Estate Upper Love but that positive identification could not be made because the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) was partially destroyed in the fire.

Asked if the suicide of Linton Eddy, 43, of Barren Spot on Saturday was in any way connected to the Serieux family’s disappearance on Friday, VIPD spokesman Glen Dratte said: “I could not say, I still have to speak to police investigators about that.”

Territorial Police Chief Winsbut McFarlande held a press conference this morning in which he appealed to the public to help in the search and call in their tips that could lead to the successful conclusion of the search for the Serieux family.

In less than an hour, investigators were acting on a tip that led rescue workers to the area where the bodies were eventually found this morning.

A source speaking on condition of anonymity said that Serieux, who worked at Kmart on St. Croix, walked into 1First Bank Virgin Islands on Friday and paid off all the money she owed on her silver 2011 Toyota Yaris.

She and her two boys went missing that same day. Eddy committed suicide in Barren Spot on the following day — Saturday.

The source said that Eddy, who had the money to give to Serieux because he had an indoor marijuana farm, was upset that she could not spend time with him that day after he paid off her bank loan.

“You can connect the rest of the dots, even if police investigators can’t,” the source added.