My read on the details we have so far is that Tonya Bates went to NY alone which begs the obvious question, who had the girls? My guess at this point unfortunately, is the roommate and suspect Terry Miles. Their neighbor described how upon first encountering Terry Miles, Miles offered to babysit the neighbors kids and the neighbor found that strange. Terry was described by an ex as someone who manipulated her mentally and this thread abounds with evidence toward this quality. Knowing that Terry met the oldest daughter while he was friends with her father leads us to suspect that him moving in with the mother and two daughters around December was part of a long con centered around his interest in the oldest daughter.
Following my trail of facts and assumptions, Mom arrived back from New York around Dec 18, about the same time that officers responded to their address for a domestic dispute.
I can only assume that something happened while Terry was in New York, something she found out about upon her return. Something serious enough to cause a fight over which LE was notified. As far as I know, we have no more details until the welfare check and discovery on December 30. That leaves 10-12 days unaccounted for in between.
Did we ever figure out why Terry went to New York, or how? I remember some discussion over her finances, Go Fund Me page for her pending lawsuit over being kicked out of school, etc. I wonder how big of a part Terry may have played in urging or even to some extent funding that trip as it seems to have played right into his hands. Previous to her photos of the trip, I don't see her mentioning it a single time. And getting a tattoo while in New York almost smacks of spontaneity, a "woohoo for me" moment.
Just my opinion derived from known facts