Police say a north suburban Chicago man has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the drowning deaths of his three young children. Round Lake Beach Police Chief Gilbert said at a news conference on Tuesday that 35-year-old Jason E. Karels was arrested after leading police on a chase on Monday that ended in a crash at an Interstate 80 bridge in Joliet.
After the crash, Karels told first responders he was responsible for the deaths of his children and had attempted to kill himself before fleeing the home. Officers found the man’s blood in the house from his attempts to hurt himself, Rivera said.
Karels was hospitalized after the crash. Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton of the Lake County Coroner's Office says preliminary autopsy results show 5-year-old Bryant Karels, 3-year-old Cassidy Karels and 2-year-old Gideon Karels all died as a result of drowning. Rivera says the children's mother asked police to perform a well-being check at Karels' home.