Deeply saddened over the outcome. Sometimes we read too much into clues and most times not enough. In my opinion, this was most likely an accident that occurred when the phone died.
We all live a life, we all make choices, usually they're unplanned and last minute. His plans were not last minute, so it seems...he was going fishing. I'm still trying to locate the facts but it appears he was going to go fishing with his brother late that night and drop his two youngest off at his brother's house to be babysat while they fished. But because I can't solidify that online story.... Then my opinion is he was going fishing late at night with his three young kids that he loved and took very good care of, he didn't bring a lot of supplies that we're aware of, because it was late at night and they would be sleeping. I don't even believe that this should even be a point of discussion or contention, it was late at night and he was just going fishing. What supplies would you bring for little kids if you think they're going to be sleeping? He was a young father, a single young father taking care of three young children. He was living his life.
I would like to add, and this is just my opinion, no offense to single dads or dads in general. But in my experience as a mother of three with many many friends with children, it is usually the mom or female figure who details and thinks of all the little things you might need. Guys in general are the doers, the workers, the problem solvers, they get the job done...and sometimes the little details that females are notorious for are just not part of the psyche of a man. Again just my opinion and no offense to any guy out there that reads this that's the opposite or that is very detailed and brings everything and thinks of everything that goes in a diaper bag or a bag.
Circling back to my thoughts, when the phone died. He was texting 2 females probably on a dating app, no big deal, very common and especially after covid and the shutdown of the world it is usually the way people meet these days. And with three small children he doesn't really have a whole lot of time to get out and date unless he's sure of the person that he wants to see. Anyway, he said he couldn't take a picture because the children were sleeping which is where I find the story confusing of what happened. Why couldn't he take a picture??? Was it because it was dark and the flash would wake the children up because he was in the car while he was texting? By him stating that about not being able to take a picture would not make sense if he was out of the car on the shoreline fishing as the light would not have affected the sleeping children in the car. So, In my opinion something happened after that moment. Perhaps he got out of the car to take the picture and by doing so something disengaged and the car went in and he went in after the car and the phone died upon immersion.........
This is a tragic, unimaginable, horrible outcome no matter how we try to figure it out. Especially for the mom/grandma, as I am a mother and a grandmother and I would be utterly devastated. She lost her grandbabies and her son. There's nothing worse. I will be praying for this family.
