Wednesday, July 11 2012 1:28 PM EDT2012-07-11 17:28:36 GMT
Police in River Falls, Wis. have arrested the father of three girls after the children were found dead inside a home Tuesday afternoon.
Police in River Falls, Wis. have arrested the father of three girls after the children were found dead inside a home Tuesday afternoon.
RIVER FALLS, Wis. (KMSP) -
The community of River Falls is mourning the loss of three sisters who were found dead in their home Tuesday afternoon.
According to police, the mother of the three girls -- identified by authorities as Amara Schaffhausen, age 11; Sophie Schaffhausen, age 8; and Cecilia Lee Schaffhausen, age 5 -- called police after she became concerned for the girls' safety following statements made by their father.
Officers arrived at the home at 2790 Morningside Avenue and immediately noticed an odor of gas and found that the gas fireplace was on. A flammable liquid could be smelled in the basement, and a responding officer turned off the fireplace before finding the bodies of the three children.
Police took 34-year-old Aaron Schaffhausen into custody after he turned himself in at the police department around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday. Formal charges are pending.
A vigil has been planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday night at Glen Park in River Falls. The vigil was organized by Julie Matzke, whose 7-year-old daughter was in Girl Scouts with one of the sisters.
The River Falls School District has also scheduled staff and counselors for two sessions for Greenwood Elementary families and students to help them cope with the tragedy. Those sessions are set for Wednesday between 2 and 4 p.m. and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Memorials were also displayed at Greenwood Elementary School on Wednesday, showing how much the three girls will be missed.
"The entire River Falls school family is shocked by this tragedy and deeply saddened by the loss of the three Schaffhausen girls," said Tom Westerhaus, superintendent. "The two oldest girls, Amara and Sophie Schaffhausen, were students at Greenwood Elementary School and are being remembered as bright, happy, friendly children by staff and other students. We were looking forward to having Cecilia Schaffhausen join her sisters in school this fall, when she would have started kindergarten."
The Bakken-Young Funeral Home will be handling the funeral arrangements.
The family has asked that those wishing to assist the family with monetary donations make those to the Benefit Account for Schaffhausen Children at First National Bank of River Falls, which will be handling a fund. To contribute, call 715-425-2401.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 9:52 AM EDT2013-05-22 13:52:16 GMT
Jersey shore town is celebrating a milestone as it rebuilds from Superstorm Sandy. Belmar officials will reopen their 1.3-mile boardwalk that was destroyed by the October storm.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:23 AM EDT2013-05-22 12:23:21 GMT
Ex-congressman Anthony Weiner whose career imploded after raunchy tweets said in a YouTube video announcement that he's in the New York City mayoral race.
Ex-congressman Anthony Weiner whose career imploded after raunchy tweets said in a YouTube video announcement that he's in the New York City mayoral race. A poll released Wednesday placed Weiner in second place behind City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in a Democratic primary.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:10 AM EDT2013-05-22 12:10:21 GMT
Commuter rail service from Connecticut to New York City, along with Amtrak service between Boston and New York, was back on schedule Wednesday morning on one of the nation's oldest and most heavily traveled railways.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 7:42 AM EDT2013-05-22 11:42:24 GMT
The National Weather Service is looking into whether a tornado touched down in a rural eastern New York county during a series of severe thunderstorms that rumbled across the upstate region.
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Wednesday, May 22 2013 7:09 AM EDT2013-05-22 11:09:33 GMT
The NYPD arrested a suspect in the latest anti-gay attack in the city, said police.
The NYPD arrested a suspect in the latest anti-gay attack in the city, said police. The incident Monday night involved two men, who police say, had met at the Bowery Mission and went out drinking together in the East Village. Roman Gornell, 39, was arrested on Wednesday.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 9:51 PM EDT2013-05-22 01:51:10 GMT
Just a few days after Mark Carson, 32, was killed for being gay, and only a few hours after a massive rally in the west village calling for an end to the anti-gay violence, it happened again.
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