Father Accused of Killing 3 Daughters Appears in Court

A father accused of killing his three young daughters is in court today.

Aaron Schaffhausen was charged with three counts of murder during his first court appearance. He’s accused of killing daughters Amara, Sophie, and Cecilia nearly two weeks ago in their River Falls, Wis., home.

Schaffhausen is being held on $2 million bond.

Today’s court appearance is a preliminary hearing, so the prosecution could lay out their case in an attempt to prove to a judge that there is enough evidence to go to trial.

Going into this, we know the disturbing background of the case. Schaffhausen and his ex-wife split up back in January, and he surprised the girls with a visit the day they were killed.

The criminal complaint says their bodies were found in their beds covered with blankets up to their necks, and their throats were slit.

A special prosecutor will assist the St. Croix County District Attorney. The DA asked Assistant Attorney General Gary Freyberg to help because of the complexity of the case.

The hearing can and will be televised, and the first row of seating will be reserved for the Schaffhausen family. The public, other lawyers, and the media can sit anywhere else.

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