On June 13, 2022, Jason Karels drowned his three children — Bryant (5), Cassidy (3), and Gideon (2) — at his home in the Sutton-on-the-Lake subdivision in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, during a custodial visit. The children's mother, Debra Karels, who was in the process of divorcing Jason, discovered the children's bodies lying on a bed when she arrived to pick them up and contacted police for a well-being check. Officers found a note from Karels at the scene that read, "If I can't have them, neither can you." Karels fled and was arrested near Joliet following a 17-minute police pursuit that ended when his vehicle crashed near Interstate 80. He made statements to police about his involvement and indicated he had attempted suicide multiple times afterward. He was charged with nine counts of first-degree murder and ultimately pleaded guilty but mentally ill to three counts of first-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 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 died by drowning. 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." The drowning was intentional, constituting homicide.
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)
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 describe Jason Karels murdering his three children by drowning and then attempting suicide. The ABC7 article quotes Police Chief Rivera: "He also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children but was unsuccessful during these attempts." The People article corroborates: "[Karels] also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children." This is a murder followed by attempted suicide, constituting an attempted murder-suicide incident.
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 is explicitly identified as the biological father of all three children. The ABC7 article describes 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 states he "drowned Bryant, 5, Cassidy, 3 and Gideon, 2, at his Round Lake Beach, Ill., home." He pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.
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?
Jason Karels was arrested and charged. The ABC7 article states: "Karels was arrested later that day near Joliet, following a 17-minute pursuit by Illinois State Police." He was "indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on nine counts of first-degree murder." The People article further confirms he "pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
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/caregiver is explicitly referenced. The People article states that Jason Karels "pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Friday to three counts of first-degree murder." Additionally, the ABC7 article quotes Police Chief Rivera stating that Karels "also said he attempted to commit suicide several times after the deaths of the children but was unsuccessful during these attempts." The guilty-but-mentally-ill plea and multiple suicide attempts both directly reference the father's mental health.
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 emerge from the text. The killings occurred during a custodial visit while the parents were in the middle of a divorce. The mother, Debra Karels, told CBS Chicago (as reported by People) that she and Jason were divorcing because he "constantly played games and neglected his family," and that she had faith "the father should be involved" and "it would all work out in the end, and it didn't." A note was found at the scene reading "If I can't have them, neither can you," indicating the murders were motivated by revenge against the estranged spouse in a custody context. Karels entered a "guilty but mentally ill" plea (per the People article), a specific legal plea in Illinois that results in a conviction but acknowledges mental illness, and was sentenced to natural life without the possibility of parole. The mother discovered the children's bodies herself when she went to pick them up, and the People article notes she found them "laying on a bed."
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.