A Nebraska man has been charged with first-degree murder after an autopsy revealed that his two young children were smothered to death while they were in his custody.

The 36-year-old suspect, identified as Adam Price, was initially charged with felony child abuse in connection with the death of 5-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Theodore, at his residence in Bellevue in May. Price was booked into the Sarpy County Jail on May 27 and his charges were upgraded Tuesday, Omaha World-Herald reported.

"Recently obtained autopsy reports show that Emily and Theodore died by asphyxia due to smothering. Based on this new information, the State filed a motion to amend the charges to two counts of first-degree murder," Chief Deputy Sarpy County Attorney Bonnie Moore said in a news release.

The children's mother, Mary Neilsen, was separated from Adam and was staying in Illinois. The couple was sharing the custody of the children under the agreement that each parent would get to have daily contact with the kids.

Neilsen raised an alarm after she could not contact her kids while they were with Price for a week-long visit in May, KETV reported. A family friend went to Price's house to check on them and discovered the childrens' bodies on May 16. Price was not at home at the time.

Investigators located him in California hours later and arrested him.

"I hope he suffers for eternity," the grieving mother wrote on her Facebook page after Price was arrested. "Every single day for the rest of his life I hope he gets his. I'm so sorry Emi and Teddy. You didn't deserve this. Your mother didn't deserve this."

A court had set Price's bond at $2.5 million on felony child abuse charges. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Oct. 12 to face the upgraded charges. If convicted for first-degree murder, he will be sentenced to life in prison.

"This involves the deaths of two small children and it's a tragedy," Moore said. "And our hearts go out to the families."

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Representational image. Pixabay
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