LeROY - The deaths of Duncan and Jack Leichtenberg by their father in March could not have been predicted by the judicial, medical or law enforcement systems, according to a report issued Tuesday by a physician peer review panel. | MyPantagraph: LeRoy Neighborhood

Jack, 7, and Duncan, 9, were found dead March 29 in the backseat of their father's car in rural Putnam County. Michael Connolly's body was found several yards away, where he hanged himself. They had been missing since early March, when Connolly failed to return the boys after a weekend visit.

LeRoy physician Thomas Pliura authored the 28-page opinion on behalf of the panel. State law provides that peer review may be requested by anyone and the process of the review is confidential.

Pliura said the panel worked on its review about two months.

The conclusions were sent to the state Judicial Inquiry Board, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and the Department of Professional Regulation.

A spokeswoman for the children's mother, Amy Leichtenberg of LeRoy, said Wednesday that the family did not request the review and does not agrees with its conclusions that mistakes were not made in the handling of the court case connected to the boys' custody and visitation.

The report specifically exonerates McLean County Judge James Souk, saying he was justified in giving Connolly unsupervised visits with the boys based upon reports provided to the court during custody hearings last year.

"The panel finds that the judicial system and specifically Judge James Souk had absolutely no reason to believe Connolly posed a genuine threat or potential harm to the boys," said the report.

Supporters of the child's mother argue the documents included with the review focus only on positive recommendations presented in court.

"If they were going to do a thorough review, they should have looked at all the papers in the case," said spokeswoman Brandi Tuley.

Tuley said the documents reviewed by the panel included a psychiatrist's report stating Connolly did not pose a threat to himself or the children, and a letter from Home Sweet Home Ministries, where Connolly lived for several months.

"Just because he was good at the supper table does not make him a good parent," said Tuley.

Amy Leichtenberg plans to continue her efforts to change state laws regarding child visitation and plans to meet next week with state officials, Tuley said. Still pending is a request for an investigation into Souk's ruling by the state Judicial Inquiry Board.