Jason E. Karels drowned his three children, Bryant, Cassidy, and Gideon Karels, cops said. (Mug shot: the Round Lake Beach Police Department)
An Illinois man has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to drowning his three children in a bathtub. Lake County prosecutors have said that the defendant, Jason E. Karels, 36, left a note for his wife at the crime scene stating, “If I can’t have them neither can you,” according to The Associated Press.
As previously reported, the kids’ mother, who shared custody of the children with her estranged husband, called authorities on June 13, 2022. Police in the Chicago suburb of Round Lake Beach performed a welfare check at the residence on the 200 block of Camden Lane. First responders arrived to find Bryant Karels, 5, Cassidy Karels, 3, and Gideon Karels, 2, dead inside the home.
Officers tracked down defendant Karels, finding him driving on Interstate 57 and 115 Street.
Police say Karels then led officers on a high-speed chase. The pursuit spanned across “multiple highways” and involved several police departments, lasting for approximately 17 minutes . The chase came to an end when Karels crashed the vehicle in a densely wooded area off Interstate 80.
As authorities extricated Karels from the vehicle, he made incriminating statements indicating that “he was responsible for the deaths of the children at the Round Lake Beach home,” according to Police Chief Gilbert Rivera. Karels also said that he attempted to die by suicide multiple times after killing the children, but claimed he was unsuccessful. Chief Rivera said that Karels’ confession was caught on multiple body cameras worn by officers at the scene.
Prosecutors said Karels will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The hearing is set for Feb. 16, 2024.
A plea of guilty but mentally ill in Illinois operates the same as a conventional guilty plea, but establishes a process by which defendants get better access to mental health treatment while in custody.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of the victims and the rest of our community affected by this senseless tragedy,” police said on Saturday. “While nothing can bring these wonderful children back, we hope this outcome will give the family and loved ones some closure.”
Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.
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