Father arrested after three daughters found dead - FOX 25/48 - WLAX/WEUX La Crosse & Eau Claire News

A father is in custody after being arrested for killing his three young daughters.

The River Falls Police Chief identified the girls as Amara, Sophie, and Cecelia Schaffhausen. They range in age from 5 to 11. Officers say they were found dead in their home Tuesday afternoon.

Police say their father, Aaron Schaffhausen, 34, turned himself in just hours after the girls were found dead. He was booked into the jail on three counts of first degree intentional homicide and is expected to be charged Thursday.

Police went to the home in the 2700 block of Morningside Drive after the mother called police, saying Schaffhausen told her he had hurt the children. When police got there, they found the gas fireplace was turned on, and there was a flammable liquid in the basement. 

The police chief would not say how the girls died. River Falls Police Chief Roger Leque said "I will tell you that I've been in River Falls for over 34 years and this is the worse we've seen."

Online court documents show the couple filed for divorce back in August of 2011. Police say Schaffhausen had threatened to harm the children in a phone call last March.