🚨 It was supposed to be a normal Monday afternoon pickup… but when Debbie Karels opened the door, there was only silence.

No running feet. No giggles. No “Mom!” Her three babies — Bryant (5), Cassidy (3), and Gideon (2) — were lying side by side on the bed, looking peaceful.

They weren’t sleeping.

Investigators say their father had drowned them in the bathtub just minutes earlier. Then he left a chilling note on the table:

“If I can’t have them, neither can you.”

He fled, led police on a high-speed chase, crashed — and when they caught him, he allegedly confessed everything.

Now facing three counts of first-degree murd3r, he’s behind bars… while their mother is left shattered in a home that will never feel safe again.

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A routine Monday afternoon child pickup turned into unimaginable tragedy on February 23, 2026, when Debbie Karels arrived at the family home in Willmar to collect her three young children — only to find them lifeless on a bed, victims of an alleged drowning carried out by their father.

Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the residence shortly after 3:30 p.m. following a 911 call from Karels, who reported her children were not responding. Inside the bedroom, first responders discovered 5-year-old Bryant Karels, 3-year-old Cassidy Karels, and 2-year-old Gideon Karels lying side by side, fully clothed and appearing to be asleep. Medical personnel pronounced all three deceased at the scene.

Autopsies conducted by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the cause of death as drowning for each child. Water was found in the lungs, and investigators determined the bathtub had been used shortly before the children’s deaths. Evidence at the scene — including wet towels, water on the bathroom floor, and the positioning of the bodies — suggested the children had been submerged intentionally.

A handwritten note left on the kitchen table read: “If I can’t have them, neither can you.” Authorities have not released the full text publicly but confirmed it was authored by the children’s father, 34-year-old Matthew Karels. The note is considered a central piece of evidence in the case.

Matthew Karels was not at the home when Debbie arrived. Within minutes of deputies’ arrival, a BOLO (be on the lookout) was issued for his vehicle — a silver 2018 Ford Escape. Less than an hour later, Minnesota State Patrol troopers spotted the SUV traveling at high speed on U.S. Highway 12 near Paynesville. A pursuit ensued, reaching speeds over 100 mph across rural roads.

The chase ended when Karels lost control, crashed into a ditch, and was taken into custody without further incident. According to charging documents, he allegedly made spontaneous statements to arresting officers admitting responsibility for the deaths of his children. “I did it. I drowned them,” he reportedly said, though formal interviews were conducted later at the Kandiyohi County Jail.

Karels was charged with three counts of first-degree murder (premeditated) and three counts of second-degree murder (unintentional during commission of a felony). He appeared via video for his initial court appearance on February 24, where a judge set bail at $3 million and ordered no contact with Debbie Karels or other family members. He remains in custody pending trial.

The couple had been separated for approximately 18 months, with an ongoing custody dispute in family court. Court records show Debbie had primary physical custody, while Matthew had court-ordered parenting time. Tensions had escalated in recent months, with Debbie filing for a harassment restraining order in late 2025, alleging Matthew had made threatening statements about the children. The order was granted temporarily but not made permanent after a hearing.

Debbie Karels has spoken publicly only briefly, releasing a statement through family: “My babies were my entire world. They were taken from me in the cruelest way possible. I will never understand how someone who claimed to love them could do this.” Relatives describe her as devastated but determined to seek justice and honor the children’s memory.

Bryant was a kindergartener at Willmar Elementary, known for his love of dinosaurs and Legos. Cassidy, 3, was described as a “little sunshine” who adored princess dresses and singing. Gideon, the youngest at 2, was just beginning to speak full sentences and was especially attached to his stuffed elephant. Photos shared by family show the trio smiling during holidays, park outings, and everyday moments — images now part of community memorials.

The small city of Willmar (population ~21,000) has been deeply shaken. Vigils have been held nightly at a local park, with hundreds gathering to light candles and share memories. A makeshift memorial outside the family home includes stuffed animals, flowers, balloons, and handwritten notes from classmates and neighbors. Willmar Public Schools provided grief counselors at all buildings, with special support for Bryant’s classmates.

The case has reignited statewide conversations about domestic violence, child custody disputes involving allegations of threats, and the intersection of mental health and family court decisions. Advocates from Minnesota’s domestic violence network have called for better screening and enforcement of restraining orders when children are involved.

Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek the death penalty — Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911 — but first-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without parole. Defense attorneys have requested a mental health evaluation for Karels, citing possible undiagnosed conditions exacerbated by the custody battle and personal stressors.

Community leaders emphasize that the tragedy should not overshadow the children’s lives. Fundraising efforts have raised significant funds for funeral costs, counseling for extended family, and scholarships in the children’s names. A trust has been established to support future needs of surviving relatives.

As the legal process moves forward — with a probable cause hearing scheduled for mid-March — the focus remains on the three young lives lost in what authorities describe as a premeditated act of unimaginable cruelty. For Debbie Karels and her extended family, every day since February 23 has been lived in the shadow of that silence at the door — a silence that will never be filled again.