Current:Home > reviewsDad who said “If I can’t have them neither can you’ pleads guilty to killing 3 kids -Streamline Finance
Dad who said “If I can’t have them neither can you’ pleads guilty to killing 3 kids
View
Date:2025-04-13 00:58:44
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — A suburban Chicago man who told his estranged wife “If I can’t have them neither can you” pleaded guilty but mentally ill Friday plea to three counts of first-degree murder for killing their three young children, a prosecutor said.
Jason Karels, 36, of Round Lake Beach will be sentenced to natural life in the Illinois Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.
Karels admitted to killing by drowning 5-year-old Bryant Karels, 3-year-old Cassidy Karels and 2-year-old Gideon Karels on June 13, 2022.
Officers sent to his home to check on the welfare of the children found a note for his estranged wife saying, “If I can’t have them neither can you,” prosecutors have said.
“This case has devasted the Round Lake Beach community and beyond,” Rinehart said in a news release. “We hope that today’s resolution provides some measure of closure, and we will continue to provide support to the family.”
Several members of the family were present in court for the hearing.
Karels was arrested after leading police on a chase that ended in a crash at an Interstate 80 bridge in Joliet, Round Lake Beach police have said. Karels was briefly hospitalized after the crash.
After the crash, Karels told first responders he was responsible for his children’s deaths and had attempted to kill himself before fleeing the home, police said. Officers found his blood in the house from his attempts to hurt himself.
Police said at the time of the deaths that the parents shared custody of the children but did not live together.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered for Karels, and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2024.
veryGood! (7739)
Related
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- FBI raids homes in Oakland, California, including one belonging to the city’s mayor
- MLB game at Rickwood Field has 'spiritual component' after Willie Mays' death
- Travis Kelce responds to typo on Chiefs' Super Bowl ring: 'I don’t give a (expletive)'
- US Open player compensation rises to a record $65 million, with singles champs getting $3.6 million
- Peace must be a priority, say Catholic leaders on anniversary of priests’ violent deaths in Mexico
- Paris awaits for Sha’Carri, Lyles and dozens more, but Olympic spots must be earned at trials
- So long plastic air pillows: Amazon shifting to recycled paper filling for packages in North America
- $1 Frostys: Wendy's celebrates end of summer with sweet deal
- American Airlines CEO vows to rebuild trust after removal of Black passengers
Ranking
- IOC's decision to separate speed climbing from other disciplines paying off
- After wildfires ravage Ruidoso, New Mexico, leaving 2 dead, floods swamp area
- 9-1-1 Crew Member Rico Priem's Cause of Death Revealed
- Ben Affleck Addresses Why He Always Looks Angry in Paparazzi Photos
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun will have memoir out in 2025
- Get an Extra 25% Off Kate Spade Styles That Are Already 70% Off, 20% off Kosas, and More Major Deals
- Judy Garland’s hometown is raising funds to purchase stolen ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers
Recommendation
DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
Maryland lets sexual assault victims keep track of evidence via a bar code
TikTok unveils interactive Taylor Swift feature ahead of London Eras Tour shows
Argentina fans swarm team hotel in Atlanta to catch glimpse of Messi before Copa América
Family of explorer who died in the Titan sub implosion seeks $50M-plus in wrongful death lawsuit
Starting Pilates? Here’s Everything You’ll Need To Crush Your Workout at Home or in the Studio
Another police dog dies while trying to help officers arrest a suspect in South Carolina
The Supreme Court upholds the conviction of woman who challenged expert testimony in a drug case