In January 2024, two sisters—Jessi Hill, age 7, and Summer Hill, age 3—were shot and killed by their biological father, James "Jake" Hill, 45, during a weekend visitation at his home in Phippsburg, Colorado. The father then killed himself. The children primarily lived with their mother, Tierny Pearson, in Cedaredge, Colorado. The parents were in a contentious custody dispute, and the father had been granted weekend parenting time through the domestic relations court in November 2023. The father had a documented history of domestic violence and coercive control toward the mother, including a prior stalking charge that was dismissed. The mother had recently remarried in December 2023, which the father reportedly perceived as evidence she had moved on from him. On January 13, 2024, officers performing a welfare check discovered the father and both children deceased at his residence. The incident was classified as a murder-suicide, with the children dying from gunshot wounds.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The fatality report explicitly states: "The administrator learned that the children died from gunshot wounds." It also identifies as a contributing factor: "The father had access to a firearm." The timeline states: "The father shot and killed the children prior to killing himself."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states: "The administrator learned that the children died from gunshot wounds." The father shot and killed both children, constituting inflicted injuries by firearm.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Both documents explicitly describe this as a murder-suicide. The news article states: "officers performed a welfare check…and found the father and two girls deceased. The deaths are under investigation" and "they determined the scene was a murder-suicide." The fatality report confirms: "law enforcement was investigating a murder/suicide involving the two children and their father" and the timeline states: "The father shot and killed the children prior to killing himself."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Both documents identify the perpetrator as the children's biological father. The news article names him as James "Jake" Hill, 45. The fatality report describes him as "Father, Age: 45 years old" and states: "The children, who were seven and three years old, were the parents' only children together." The timeline confirms: "The father shot and killed the children prior to killing himself."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report documents a prior child protection referral: "10/10/2023 SCHS received a report of concern that the mother had been driving the children while the mother was under the influence of cannabis. The mother was also not allowing the father to have contact with or see the children. The referral was determined not to meet criteria for assessment." The report also confirms: "Within the last three years, the family had prior involvement with Second County Human Services consisting of one referral."
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report extensively documents domestic violence by the father: "The mother reported that the father was abusive and controlling of her during their relationship." It also states: "The father was the perpetrator of domestic violence in his previous relationships, as reported by the mother and one of the father's ex-wives." Among identified risk factors: "Domestic violence and coercive control, perpetrated by the father towards the mother."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report documents a prior criminal charge for the father predating the fatal incident: "The father had a prior stalking charge, with the mother as the victim, which had been dismissed." This is also listed as a risk factor: "The father's prior stalking charges (related to stalking the mother)."
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "The mother had a history of cannabis use, but she did not have any other known substance use concerns." Additionally, the prior referral on 10/10/2023 was based on a concern that "the mother had been driving the children while the mother was under the influence of cannabis." Regarding the father: "There were no known concerns for substance use by the father, and no alcohol or illicit substances were found in his home after the incident."
Notable Details
The fatality report identifies several significant systemic issues. It notes a "systemic gap regarding domestic violence related criminal charges being dismissed in court and perpetrators of domestic violence not being held accountable for their violent and controlling behaviors," observing that dismissals "exacerbate the power and control dynamics in the relationship and makes it harder for victims to pursue charges again in the future." The CFRT made a formal recommendation "for domestic relations court cases to look at the totality of a family's history, including child welfare allegations, criminal charges that are either dropped or dismissed, and criminal convictions before making custody decisions." The report also notes that "the father's family also blamed the mother for the father's actions," and documents that the father's weekend parenting time was granted approximately three weeks before the mother's remarriage (granted ~11/27/2023, remarriage 12/15/2023), with the first unsupervised in-person visit occurring close to or after the remarriage. The father had previously followed the mother when she attempted to leave by moving out of state. Additionally, the report identified the father's escalated behavior at the custody exchange prior to the incident as a contributing risk factor, suggesting warning signs were present before the killings.
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