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35-year-old Jason Karels was taken into custody on June 14, 2022, after being accused of fatally drowning his children. According to the New York Post, Debbie Karels, Jason's wife had recently left her husband, and the duo shared custody of their children at the time of their deaths. She was also reportedly in the process of getting a divorce. A relative claimed that Jason suffered from mental illness but refused to seek professional help.
On Friday, December 15, 2023, Jason pleaded guilty but mentally ill to three counts of first-degree murder. According to prosecutors, he will face life imprisonment without parole.
Debbie Karels found her children dead when she went to pick them up after they spent a weekend with Jason Karels
On June 13, 2022, Debbie Karels arrived at her estranged husband, Jason Karels' residence on East Camden Lane in Round Lake Beach, to pick up her children. Upon her arrival, she discovered that three of her kids had died. The children were identified as Gideon Karels, 2, Cassidy Karels, 3, and Bryant Karels, 5. As per NBC Chicago, while speaking about the incident, Debbie said:
"I just wish I was there for them that day. I just wish I was there to grab them before this all happened."
Autopsies revealed that the victims died of drowning. 35-year-old Jason Karels fled the scene, which prompted a police pursuit. He drove until he crashed his car into a bridge on Interstate 80 in Joliet, where he was then arrested by cops. According to ABC 7, Jason also attempted to end his life after murdering the kids. Police noticed that he had sustained injuries in the crash, and was admitted to the hospital.
December 15, Jason Karels pleaded guilty but mentally ill in connection to the deaths of the three children and admitted that they died after being drowned. According to prosecutors, a note was found at his home, back in 2022, that seemed to have been addressed to Debbie
"If I can’t have them neither can you," it read.
According to The Independent, Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart spoke about the case in a news release and said:
"This case has devastated the Round Lake Beach community and beyond. We hope that today’s resolution provides some measure of closure, and we will continue to provide support to the family."
The news station further confirmed that several family members were present in the court on Friday for the hearing. Recalling the 2022 arrest, it was revealed that he admitted to the murders shortly after he was taken into custody.
Jason Karels stated that he wanted to end his life, but his attempts weren't successful. Meanwhile, police found traces of blood in the house that did not belong to any of the three deceased kids. However, it was never revealed how Jason planned to end his life.
The children's mother opted for full custody due to Jason's mental state
A GoFundMe page was launched to cover the funeral expenses of the children, and also to offer financial assistance to the grieving mother. The fundraiser raised $107,500, with the help of about 2,000 donations. The fundraiser post read:
"This fundraiser is to help Debbie raise enough funds to cover all of her expenses that will arise from the final arrangements for her children, as well as to provide a level of financial stability for her while she learns to adjust in the wake of this horrific tragedy."
Back in 2022, Debbie spoke to news agencies about her estranged husband, Jason Karels, and as per Lake and Mchenry County Scanner, she said:
"It was set in stone I was leaving because I deserve better."
Debbie further stated that Jason knew how much the kids meant to her. She believed that he wanted to hurt her and thus, ended up killing the three children. The news station reported that Debbie initially planned to file for joint custody, but then decided to opt for full custody of the kids, due to Jason's mental condition. She also alleged that Jason Karels had abused her physically as well as mentally. The children's mother added:
"I know he’s been mentally ill. He never accepted to get help with it because he said he could do it himself."
Police then confirmed that Debbie and Jason were married when the killings took place. They were, however, separated. According to cops, while admitting to the killings, Jason told them that he had drowned the kids in the bathtub.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held on February 16, 2024. The court has also ordered a pre-sentence investigation.
