On June 13, 2022, Jason Karels intentionally drowned his three children — Bryant (5), Cassidy (3), and Gideon (2) — at his home in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, during a custodial visit while he and the children's mother, Debra Karels, were in the middle of a divorce. Debra discovered the children's bodies lying on a bed when she arrived to pick them up after they spent the weekend with their father. Police found a note from Karels stating, "If I can't have them, neither can you." Karels fled the scene and was arrested near Joliet after a 17-minute police pursuit that ended in a vehicle crash. He made statements admitting responsibility for the deaths and said he had attempted suicide multiple times afterward. The Lake County Coroner determined the cause of death for all three children was drowning. Karels ultimately pleaded guilty but mentally ill to three counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to natural life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Both documents explicitly state the children were drowned. The ABC7 article states: "The Lake County (IL) Coroner's Office later determined the cause of death to be drowning." The PEOPLE article confirms: "An Illinois man accused of drowning his three children during a custodial visit last year has pleaded guilty to their murders."
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
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 children were intentionally drowned by their father, which constitutes an inflicted act of harm. The ABC7 article states the coroner determined "the cause of death to be drowning" and the PEOPLE article confirms Karels "pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his three children." While the text does not describe specific physical blows, intentionally drowning a child involves physical force similar to choking/asphyxiation, which is listed as an example of inflicted injury.
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?
The ABC7 article quotes Round Lake Beach Police Chief Gilbert Rivera: "He also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children but was unsuccessful during these attempts." This indicates an attempted murder-suicide: the father killed his three children and then attempted suicide multiple times but failed.
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?
Jason Karels was the biological father of all three children. The ABC7 article refers to him as "A Round Lake Beach father accused of murdering his three children" and identifies the victims as "5-year-old Bryant, 3-year-old Cassidy and 2-year-old Gideon Karels." The PEOPLE article confirms he pleaded guilty to drowning his three children.
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)?
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?
The ABC7 article states: "Jason Karels, 35, was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on nine counts of first-degree murder." It also notes: "Karels was arrested later that day near Joliet, following a 17-minute pursuit by Illinois State Police." The PEOPLE article confirms he "pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
While the text does not use the term "domestic violence" explicitly, the case dynamics are classic indicators of intimate partner violence. The ABC7 article reports officers found a note from Karels that said, "If I can't have them, neither can you," directed at his estranged wife. The PEOPLE article quotes the mother stating that she and Jason "were in the middle of a divorce because he 'constantly played games and neglected his family.'" The retaliatory killing of children during a custody dispute to punish an estranged spouse is a widely recognized extreme form of domestic violence.
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?
Mental health of the parent is explicitly referenced in multiple ways. The ABC7 article quotes the police chief stating Karels "also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children but was unsuccessful during these attempts." The PEOPLE article states that Karels "pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder," which is a specific legal designation acknowledging mental illness.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details may materially affect a researcher's understanding of this case. First, this was a triple homicide involving all three of the perpetrator's children (Bryant, 5; Cassidy, 3; Gideon, 2), not a single-child death. Second, the killings occurred during a custodial visit while the parents were in the midst of a divorce. The PEOPLE article reports the mother said: "I thought what was right was the father should be involved. The father should see them... I just had so much faith; so much faith, so much love that it would all work out in the end, and it didn't." Third, Karels entered a specific legal plea of "guilty but mentally ill" per the PEOPLE article, a distinct Illinois legal designation that acknowledges mental illness while still accepting criminal responsibility. Fourth, as part of the plea, "Karels will be sentenced to natural life in the Illinois Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole." These details highlight how custodial arrangements during contentious divorces can create opportunities for lethal violence, and how the legal system handled the mental illness component through a specialized plea.
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