They only noticed that the gate to the machine house was open before they decided to leave.[7] Cäzilia Gabriel was absent without excuse for the next few days of school and the family failed to show up for Sunday worship.[2] On Monday, April 3, the postman, Josef Mayer, was delivering the mail at Hinterkaifeck when he noticed that Saturday's mail was still where he had left it, and that no one had been in the yard.[citation needed]