Illinois father sentenced for fatally drowning 3 young children as retaliation against their mom

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. (TCD) -- A 36-year-old father will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the 2022 drowning death of his three children, who were all under 5 years old.

The Lake County State's Attorney's Office announced Feb. 16, that a judge sentenced Jason Karels to life in prison without the possibility of parole after he entered a guilty but mentally ill plea in December 2023 for drowning his kids, identified by the Lake & McHenry County Scanner as 2-year-old Gideon Karels, 3-year-old Cassidy Karels, and 5-year-old Bryant Karels.

On June 13, 2022, at approximately 1:40 p.m., the Round Lake Beach Police Department received a welfare check request in the 200 block of East Camden Lane. According to the state's attorney's office, the children's mother found them deceased and called officers to the scene.

Inside the home, police reportedly found the kids, as well as a note from Karels that read, "If I can't have them neither can you."

Karels fled the scene before investigators arrived. Later that day, however, Illinois State Troopers pursued Karels' vehicle for 17 minutes and arrested him after he crashed near Interstate 80 and Water Street in Joliet. During his arrest, Karels reportedly made "statements to police officers regarding his role in the triple homicide."

WGN-TV reports the mother, Debra Karels, was in the process of gaining full custody of the victims at the time of their death, and she was estranged from their father.

The Lake County Coroner's Office determined the children had fatally drowned.

The children's mother, maternal grandmother, and aunt made impact statements at the sentencing hearing.

The family described the three children as "beautiful, innocent children who did not deserve what happened to them."

According to the state's attorney's office, they said Karels is a "monster," and he "was the one person who was supposed to love and protect them at all costs and instead, he did the complete opposite."

Chief of the Domestic Violence Division Eric Kalata called Karels’ actions "brutal, evil, and sinister."

Judge James Booras described the crime as "sickening" and "despicable."

MORE:

• Round Lake Beach Man Sentenced to Life for “Brutal” Killing of His Three Children - Lake County State's Attorney's Office
• Round Lake Man Enters “Guilty” Plea for Killing His Three Children, 12/15/2023 - Lake County State's Attorney's Office
• Dad who said, 'If I can’t have them, neither can you' pleads guilty to drowning his 3 kids, 12/18/2023 - TCD
• Murder Charges Filed Against Round Lake Man for Killing His Three Children, 6/15/2022 - Lake County State's Attorney's Office
• Round Lake Beach investigating death of three people - 6/13/2022 - Round Lake Beach Police Department
• Round Lake Beach man charged with murder of his 3 children pleads guilty but mentally ill, 12/15/2023 - WGN
• Father sentenced to life in prison for murdering his 3 young kids in Round Lake Beach - Lake & McHenry County Scanner