According to the sheriff’s office, a tragic incident occurred in Clermont County on Thursday night resulting in the unfortunate loss of three young children under the age of 8.
The victims were three brothers aged 3, 4 and 7 years old.
The boys’ father, Chad Doerman, 32, has been charged with three counts of aggravated murder. Doerman is currently being held in the Clermont County Jail without bond and is due to be arraigned Friday morning in Clermont County Municipal Court.
The sheriff’s office has indicated that additional charges may be forthcoming.
The incident occurred shortly before 4:15 p.m. at a residence near the intersection of Laurel Lindale Road and Clermontville Laurel Road.
Around this time, an unidentified woman made a frantic call to 911, shouting that “her babies had been shot.”
Three minutes later, another individual who had passed by contacted emergency services and informed the operator that they had seen an underage girl running along the road, stating that “her father was killing everyone” .
Sheriff’s deputies quickly responded to the scene and discovered Doerman, who is listed as an owner in county records, sitting on a step outside the residence.
When they arrive, the deputies discover the three boys in the yard, wounded by bullets and unconscious.
They immediately took rescue action awaiting the arrival of Monroe Fire/EMS. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the boys succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
The boys’ mother, a 34-year-old woman, was present outside the residence when the deputies arrived. She had been shot in the hand. Emergency medical services personnel transported her to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Clermont County Sheriff Robert Leahy announced the devastating news of his children’s deaths.
Doerman, the father, was apprehended by the deputies without any resistance or trouble.
After conducting an investigation, authorities found no indications of forced entry, leading the sheriff’s office to conclude that there is no ongoing search for any other suspects.
According to the sheriff’s office, there does not appear to be a threat to the community. The Clermont County coroner arrived at the scene around 7:30 p.m.
The boys’ bodies were then taken to the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office for autopsies. Although initial reports confirmed that an individual opened fire at the Monroe Township Fire Hall located near Laurel Road in Clermontville, the Sheriff’s Office press release makes no reference to this incident.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
In response to the tragic event, the New Richmond Schools Superintendent issued a statement Thursday evening expressing deep sadness, saying: “Our hearts are broken again tonight as we call on the community to support those affected by this appalling incident.”
Bereavement counselors will be on hand at Monroe Elementary on Friday to provide support and assistance.