Cooper girls to stay with mother's family

Wake District Court Judge Debra Sasser has decided to let the daughters of Nancy Cooper remain in Canada with their slain mother's family.

“"This is a very good day for Nancy, her children, and our entire family," Cooper's father, Garry Rentz, said in a statement.

"We are extremely grateful to Judge Sasser for her careful and thorough attention to our case. We could not have asked for a more fair or deliberate process and are confident that she acted in the best interest of not just our grandchildren but all children who may be in a similar circumstance."

Details of the custody arrangement were unavailable until the judge signs the final order in the coming weeks. The attorneys in the case were prohibited from disclosing those.

Bradley Cooper has been fighting for his daughters return since they were taken from him days after his wife was found strangled in an unfinished subdivision near their home. The girls, 2-year-old Katie and 4-year-old Bella, have been living in Canada with Nancy Cooper's twin sister, Krista Lister.

Sasser heard impassioned pleas from both sides last week as each fought to take care of the girls. Nancy Cooper's family told Sasser they believed Bradley Cooper murdered his wife. Bradley Cooper's attorneys refuted the notion.

No one has been charged in Cooper's murder.

The custody decision is temporary, and it does not strip Bradley Cooper of his parental rights.

Bradley Cooper's attorneys did not immediately return calls.

In his statement, Rentz thanked the family's lawyers, as well as the police and the Wake District Attorney's Office for their handling of the case. He also thanked the public for supporting the family.

Rentz said the family had decided to decline interviews "until our story has an end."