A Chicago father allegedly drowned his three children in a bathtub after leaving a note for his estranged wife, saying, "If I can’t have them neither can you," prosecutors revealed.
Jason E. Karels, 35, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his three children.
The three siblings, 5-year-old Bryant Karels, 3-year-old Cassidy Karels, and 2-year-old Gideon Karels were found dead at the family home in the Chicago suburb of Round Lake Beach, Illinois on Monday, June 13.
The note was discovered by police after they were sent to the residence to perform a welfare check at the request of the children’s mother, Debra Karels. The note was brought up during Karels’ bond hearing on Wednesday
Responding officers also observed Jason’s blood throughout the house believed to be the result of failed suicide attempts, according to prosecutors.
Jason was arrested after a short pursuit that ended in a crash at an Interstate 80 bridge in Joliet, Illinois.
After the crash, Jason reportedly made statements to police officers indicating he had drowned his children in a tub one by one.
"He also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children but was unsuccessful during these attempts," Round Lake Beach Police Chief Gilbert Rivera said, according to ABC 7.
He suffered injuries from the crash and was released after being treated at a hospital, prosecutors said.
A possible motive behind the crime is yet to be revealed, however, authorities have indicated that the shocking murders were "motivated from a domestic situation."
Debra said she had just started the divorce process and had left Jason a month prior.
"The most important thing to me were the kids, and he knew that," Debra Karels told CBS Chicago. "He knew that nothing mattered but those children, and he took them away from me, because he knew that would hurt me the most."
"My children were absolutely amazing. They were three beautiful little souls that didn't deserve this," she told the station.
Debra’s sister-in-law, Christina Neuman Berg claimed that Jason “had severe mental issues and refused to get help.”
"Unfortunately, there was domestic abuse in their relationship and Debbie was finally getting the strength to leave him and proceed with a divorce," Berg, told The Daily Beast on Tuesday.
"But Debbie wanted to maintain a relationship with her kids’ father and let him visit them, and now we know that was a horrible mistake."
"We want justice," Berg said. "He needs to deal with the outcome of his actions. He needs to pay for what he did."
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