Mother Gives Emotional Testimony In 3rd Day Of Schaffhausen Trial
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A River Falls, Wis. mother whose daughters were murdered gave emotional testimony at her ex-husband's insanity trial Thursday.
At times emotional, but for the most part controlled, Jessica Schaffhausen described how after a series of terrible threats, Aaron Schaffhausen convinced her he was doing much better, which is why she allowed him to visit the day of the murders .
Jessica Schaffhausen testified that after their divorce, Aaron Schaffhausen would call her 30 times a day, but would refuse to even speak to their children. Then, in March of 2012, she said Aaron Schaffhausen was working in North Dakota and called her with a terrible threat.
"He wanted to drive down there and tie me up and make me pick which child to kill and make me watch while he killed them because he wanted to hurt me as much as I hurt him," Jessica Schaffhausen said.
She reported the threat to North Dakota police, but she said after that, he appeared increasingly stable. In April 2012, she allowed him to take his three daughters to a Hudson restaurant. She said his behavior continued to improve through July. Then, on July 10, 2012, she testified that Aaron Schaffhausen called her and wanted to visit her and their girls at their River Falls home.
Crying softly, Jessica Schaffhausen said he became angry when she told him she didn't want to see him, but that he could see just the girls, which he agreed to.
"They really wanted to see him. They loved him very much," Jessica Schaffhausen said.
She was emotional as she described the phone call she received from Aaron Schaffhausen later that day, when he said, "you can come home now, I killed the kids." She then described he desperate ride back to River Falls as she begged a 911 operator to quickly send officers to her home.
"I just wanted somebody to get there because they could have still been alive, so someone needed to get to the house," Jessica Schaffhausen said.
She later told investigators that she believed Aaron Schaffhausen killed the children to hurt her.
Jessica Schaffhausen also testified Aaron Schaffhausen may have been depressed, but that he always could control his actions Aaron Schaffhausen did not look directly at his ex-wife, but instead looked down at the defense table.
As he has throughout the trial, he showed no emotion.
The Judge once again barred videotaping of Jessica Schaffhausen's testimony.
