Shane had found temporary work in Lancaster, and rather than commute between his job and his home with Maggie in Somerset, the family had stayed with a longtime friend of Shane's in Lancaster. The couple's precarious financial situation combined with the challenge of caring for two small children wore on the couple, and they had begun to fight more frequently. One night, after an early birthday celebration for Memphis at a local fast food restaurant, the two began to argue. Shane said his main source of frustration stemmed from the fact that Maggie paid more attention to the children than she did to him.