Man charged with killing daughters will stand trial in Wisconsin

By Dan O'Donnell

CREATED Jul. 24, 2012

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  • Aaron Schaffhausen (right) appears with his public defender John Kucinski via teleconference from jail for his initial court appearance Thursday at the St. Croix County courthouse. Schaffhausen was charged Thursday with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the deaths of his three daughters. The girls, Amara, 11, Sophie, 8, and Cecilia, 5, were found dead Tuesday in the River Falls home they shared with their mother, Jessica Schaffhausen, who called police after her ex-husband called and said he'd harmed their children. Image by Associated Press

 MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A judge has ordered a North Dakota construction worker accused of killing his three young daughters to stand trial in Wisconsin.
  
St. Croix County Circuit Judge Scott Needham says prosecutors presented enough evidence during a preliminary hearing Tuesday to try Aaron Schaffhausen on three counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
  
Investigators say he showed up July 10 at the River Falls, Wis., home where his ex-wife lived with his daughters, aged 11, 8 and 5. Police say they received a hysterical call from Jessica Schaffhausen, who was not home. She said her ex-husband told her he had killed their daughters and that she could come home.
  
Schaffhausen is being held on a $2 million cash bond. His arraignment has been set for Aug. 28.