(CNN) -- The father of three missing Michigan boys has no "established relationship" with a mystery woman that he claimed he left his sons with before unsuccessfully trying to commit suicide, a police chief investigating the boys' disappearance said Monday. John Skelton, the father, told police that he dropped the boys off Friday morning with a woman he identified as Joann Taylor, in part to ensure that they did not witness his suicide. Authorities said Skelton's suicide attempt was not successful, and he is being held at a mental health facility. "There is no established relationship between he and the person that he described to us as Joann Taylor," Chief of Morenci Police, Larry Weeks, told reporters.
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NEW: Police: father of missing boys has no relationship with a mystery woman he claimed he left his sons with
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Tanner, Alexander and Andrew Skelton have been missing for several days
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Dad John Skelton told police he dropped them off with a woman before attempting suicide
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Police still don't know whether the woman he mentioned is real or not
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