A 38-year-old man accused of strangling his wife , their 2-year-old daughter and their 8-year-old son told a judge Wednesday that he wants to plead insanity . Timothy Fradeneck was arraigned on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of his wife and children , whose bodies were found Monday in their Eastpointe , Michigan home . He is also charged with child abuse . Authorities say that Fradeneck used a USB cord to kill 37-year-old Christine Fradeneck and the children , Celeste Fradeneck and Timothy Fradeneck III ( called Trey ) . Scroll down for video . Emotionless : Timothy Fradeneck appeared in Macomb County , Michigan court on Wednesday , and was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse in the triple murder of his wife and two young children . Heartless : The bodies of Christine Fradeneck ( top left ) , 2-year-old Celeste ( being held by father ) and 8-year-old Timothy III ( called Trey , bottom left ) were found Monday evening at the family 's home in Eastpointe . Overwhelmed : Family members from both Timothy and his wife Christine 's side of the family appeared in court , crying and hugging . They made no comments to reporters about the tragic loss . At Fradeneck 's arraignment Wednesday , Eastpointe District Judge Carl Gerds III asked if he wanted to say anything . 'No , sir , ' Fradeneck said . The judge then ordered him jailed without bond , and appointed him an attorney . ' I would like to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental insanity , ' Fradeneck said . The judge then told him he had already ruled . ' I tried to kill myself , ' Fradeneck said , adding , 'It was n't about ... ' before Gerds cut him off . Sent to jail : Eastpointe District Judge Carl Gerds III ordered Fradeneck held without bond . He also shut down the 38-year-old from prematurely entering a not-guilty by reason of insanity plea . Confession : Fradeneck allegedly told police that he strangled his wife , 2-year-old daughter Celeste and 8-year-old son Timothy III to death with a USB cord . Pictured above entering court on Wednesday . Insane ? Police said they also found medications prescribed to Fradeneck in the home , but would not say whether those were to treat any sort of mental illness . Scene : Above , the Fradeneck 's Bungalow . Police said they found the wife and two children dead in their beds . Shaken community : Neighbor JeQuita Breham talks to the media as police block the street during the murder investigation on Monday . The judge scheduled a hearing April 28 in advance of a probable-cause hearing on whether Fradeneck will stand trial in Macomb County Circuit Court . If convicted on the three counts of first-degree premeditated murder , two counts of first-degree felony murder and first-degree child abuse , Fradeneck could stand to spend the rest of his life in prison . Police discovered the bodies Monday evening around 6:50pm after getting a call from Christine Fradeneck 's sister , saying she was worried about her sister after not hearing from her all day . Police say Timothy Fradeneck opened the door and let the officers enter , insisting that his wife and children were sleeping . When officers refused to leave , they say Fradeneck copped to killing all three . Their bodies were found lying in their beds . Tragic loss : Fradeneck had been married to his wife for 16 years . Christine Fradeneck pictured above with her daughter in a photo posted to her Facebook . Young lives cut short : The two Fradeneck children were set to celebrate birthdays in the next two weeks . Planned ? In court on Wednesday , prosecutors said Fradeneck had been planing the murder of his wife and two children since August . 'Timothy advised officers that his family was dead and that he had killed them by strangulation with a USB cable , ' Detective Matt Hambright told the judge . Investigators also found medications prescribed to Fradeneck inside the home , but it not yet known if those drugs were to treat any sort of mental illness . Police said there was no history of domestic disturbance calls at the home . The Fradenecks had been married 16 years and their two children were set to celebrate birthdays in the coming two weeks . On Wednesday , prosecutors said Fradeneck had been planning the murders since August and killed his family sometime late Sunday or early morning when 'the opportunity presented itself . ' Family members from both Fradeneck 's side of the family and his wife 's , appeared in court on Wednesday crying and hugging . The family members refused to comment on the tragic case outside the courthouse . The family issued a statement Wednesday , saying it was 'hopeful that the justice system will prevail and the person responsible for this will be punished to the fullest extent of the law . ' Kate Fradeneck said her brother was dealing with a mental illness and asked the public to keep him in their thoughts . The family members have not elaborated on Timothy Fradeneck 's mental illness . 'Even with the poor choices that he made , please remember he 's also lost his family , ' she told The Macomb Daily of Mount Clemens . 'No one knows or can understand the pain that he is in . ' Since the bodies of Mrs Fradeneck and her two children were found Monday evening , a memorial of stuffed animals has been growing on the steps of the family 's bungalow . A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the cost of the Fradnecks ' funeral .
Timothy Fradeneck , 38 , appeared in court on Wednesday as he was arraigned on first-degree murder and child abuse charges . Fradeneck 's wife Christine , 37 , their 2-year-old daughter Celeste and 8-year-old son Timothy III were found dead in their home on Monday . When police searched the home , Fradeneck allegedly confessed to strangling all three with a USB cord . He also told investigators that his wife, who had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, died of an overdose from heroin she took while pregnant. If convicted on the charges , he could spend the rest of his life in prison .