An Oakland County judge ruled Tuesday that a man charged with murdering his wife will not be allowed to visit his two young sons until after his criminal trial.

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Unger Tearful At Custody Hearing Murder Suspect Leaves Courtroom With Smile On His Face Archive: See Video Of Custody Hearing Archive: Local 4 Talks With Man Suspected In Wife's Death

Mark Unger (pictured, left) pleaded not guilty last week to killing Florence Unger, 37, at a northern Michigan resort where the couple was vacationing last October.

Prosecutors claim he pushed his wife off a boathouse, causing severe head injuries. They say he then dragged her into Lower Herring Lake and left her there.

Florence Unger -- who filed for a divorce from her husband -- was found dead in the lake on Oct. 24.

Unger told police he and his wife were sitting on the sun deck around 9:30 p.m. when he left her to go check on their sons.

He said he then watched a movie and fell asleep, according to Local 4 reports.

Benzie County authorities found her body facedown in the water the next morning. Her skull was fractured, according to police.

Unger, who is free on a $100,000 bond, recently said he voluntarily would not see his children until his case was resolved. He attended Tuesday's family court hearing, but did not speak. The boys are with their maternal grandparents.

On Tuesday, attorney William Lansat, who has been appointed to represent the boys, requested a "cooling off period" to allow the children time to understand what is happening with their father.

The judge asked the boys' psychologist to spend time with them and produce a report on their progress in the next 30 days.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Unger faces a mandatory life sentence without parole.