During the investigation and court proceedings, he would immerse himself all day in the gruesome facts of the case. Dan Potaznick. He knew that his staff would need extra support after he was texted images from the oil site where the bodies were recovered. The killings prompted difficult discussions about mental health at the Colorado organizations involved in the case as agencies across the nation are grappling with the mental wellness of their staffs. The changes are part of a nationwide culture change that is working to mitigate harm in a profession where suicide is four times higher than the national average, said Scully of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The website also has resources like a guide to helping someone you know who is being abused. And I said, I know. . The night after the confession, Baumhover lay on his hotel room bed. It would make her think of how Shanann would never get to have those small moments with her daughters again. Lori already has started compiling resources that are available to officers. It took me a month to get those images out of my mind.. He isnt the only one sufferingas a result from working on the case. The case caused me to be much more cognizant of what it is that we do and the impact that it has on the people who work in this office, he said. Chris Watts became one of the most publicized and sensationalized family murderers in American history after he confessed to killing his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and his two young daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. Through counseling, Lee said she was able to process her grief. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Dave Baumhover at 303-652-4222 or dbaumhover@frederickco.gov or the Frederick Police Department at 720-382-5700. And it did, he said, but the answers came at a price. Were fortunate in Colorado that departments are doing a good job in this, he said. After a few years away from the profession, Baumhover joined the Frederick Police Department full time in 2011 in search of a more low-key police job in a smaller community. She scheduled a therapy appointment for 8 a.m. the following Monday. In his natural resource-rich county, he is bombarded by memories every time he sees a tank. He explained how he smothered the girls individually, how 4-year-old Bella had to watch her little sister die. I'm really sad he deleted his blog. I feel like if I dont catch a little girl, like if I miss one, that I failed him, she said, her voice cracking. Baumhovers flashbacks started soon after returning from Wisconsin, where he interviewed Christopher Watts in prison and learned the exact horrific manner of how he murdered his wife and children. A few times he stepped away from policing to work in the private sector for better pay and at the request of family members who worried about him. He knew he would need time before he could see little girls without being triggered. Colorado lawmakers want to make prison phone calls free so families dont have to choose. Intense public and media interest in the case continues, making it difficult for investigators to heal. Cops need to hear from other cops, he said. Ive always felt that theres a bigger purpose to this, Baumhover said. He is being held at an undisclosed prison in Wisconsin. And then every time I think about them the next thought in my mind is about my own daughter.. Call the 24-hour hotline at 303-443-7300. The endless videos and photos of the girls that Shanann posted online, which Lee reviewed during the investigation, created a vivid mental image of the sisters. I felt like I was mourning their deaths.. Prosecutors have lagged behind law enforcement in addressing the effect their cases have on their health, Rourke said. He explained how he smothered the girls individually, how 4-year-old Bella had to watch her little sister die. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation still regularly receives emails, social media messages and calls about the case. He knew that his staff would need extra support after he was texted images from the oil site where the bodies were recovered. Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke still has frequent nightmares about oil tanks. She scheduled a therapy appointment for 8 a.m. the following Monday. He called a counseling service immediately. SafeHouse Denver: safe-house-denver.org. A year after the high-profile murders shocked Colorado and drew international attention to the small Weld County town, some of those who investigated the case still are grappling with its impact. He saw their mothers shallow grave nearby. But he always came back. Just a nagging. Were fortunate in Colorado that departments are doing a good job in this, he said. A report by the U.S. Department of Justice released in April recommended 22 changes that should be made to improve mental health wellness among law enforcement, including that agencies embed mental health professionals, create programs that support officers families and implementing regular mental health wellness checks. In his natural resource-rich county, he is bombarded by memories every time he sees a tank. FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Christopher Watts has admitted killing his daughters last year at the oil site where he dumped their bodies after strangling his wife, Shanann . He smelled the oil that coated them. In movie-like detail, he saw the hazmat crew pull their bodies from the oil storage tanks where they had been dumped by their father. Even hundreds of miles away in Phoenix, he couldnt escape reminders of the case he was trying to move past. Hed think of Celeste and Bella. He is being held at an undisclosed prison in Wisconsin. View Full Report . If they go out, Lori directs her husband where he shouldnt look so he can avoid seeing kids that might trigger him. He is tormented by his past and the mistakes he made.. But police work comes at a cost. During the 2019 session, lawmakers expanded access to the Peace Officer Mental Health Grant, which was created in 2017 and pays for counseling services at local agencies. If they go out, Lori directs her husband where he shouldnt look so he can avoid seeing kids that might trigger him. He couldnt remember names or control his emotions. I knew what they looked like when they played and how they sounded when they giggled. Lasting trauma from the case was not limited to Baumhover. In total four hours had already passed since Shan . He shortly after was promoted to the agencys lone detective position. Lori already has started compiling resources that are available to officers. I see those little girls. I'm really sad he deleted his blog. At least 167 officers died by suicide in 2018. She expected she would take this one in stride as well. Then hed go home and see his stepdaughter, who is about the same age as the dead girls, dancing and playing. An alert has been sent to Colorado law enforcement agencies so they will be on the lookout for Watts and her children. I feel like if I dont catch a little girl, like if I miss one, that I failed him, she said, her voice cracking. Investigators who worked on theChris Watts case, one of the most publicized American murders in recent history, are now discussing the moment that Shanann and her childrens bodies were found and how the grim discovery profoundly affected them on OxygensCriminal Confessions," airing Saturdays at 6/5c. The Watts family also seemed so normal, he said. Baumhover said hes not sure what he will do if he decides not to resume police work, but hes considering using his experience to talk with other law enforcement about the importance of mental wellness. I feel like if I dont catch a little girl, like if I miss one, that I failed him, she said, her voice cracking. Dave Baumhover, lead detective for Frederick Police on the Christopher Watts case, stands outside his home in Frederick on July 25, 2019. In the meantime, the counselor asked her to start writing down what would trigger her crying. The report also recommended the creation of a nationwide study of law enforcement suicides and the circumstances surrounding them. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Itll be a big victory when we can get to just having joy in watching little kids play, Lori said. Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA): movingtoendsexualassault.org. Violence Free Colorado: Use this map to locate resources by county in Colorado. I felt like I knew them, Lee said. For Baumhover, however, the change didnt come soon enough. Email addresses. Meanwhile, Lee told how she broke down in the hairdressers two days after witnessing the recovery of the bodies. I don't see how somebody who loves their family could even possibly do something like that., Lewis said hes been working homicides for 30 years and doesnt get emotional very often., However, in this case, he said, I was not able to detach myself from this.. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), This changed all of us: A year after Watts murders shook Colorado, investigators on the case continue grappling with trauma, Pueblo County deputies shoot, kill man after shots fired near elementary school, Colorado food banks brace for surge in demand as pandemic-era boost to SNAP benefits ends, Three Summit School District staffers and a former employee face failure to report child abuse investigation, Six California men indicted in theft of $1.1M in construction equipment across Colorados Front Range, Christopher Watts murder investigation timeline, learned the exact horrific manner of how he murdered his wife and children, Use this map to locate resources by county in Colorado, A report by the U.S. Department of Justice released in April, Sheriff: Armed suspect in barricade incident in El Paso County is shot, hospitalized. Timothy Schott, assisted by Deacon Dave Prenger. info@mhpsonline.com. You know that youre recovering the bodies of two small children.. The district attorneys office has been contacted by people from as far away as the United Kingdom and Japan who want information. When he started in 1975, officers were hesitant to come for treatment because of a prevailing stigma that seeking help was a weakness or because they feared their problems wouldnt be kept confidential, he said. Its like when youre a kid and you go on the wrong carnival ride and all you want to do is get off, he said. Every bit of Baumhover family life has been reshaped by PTSD. He smelled the oil that coated them. I have a hard time dealing with the probability that my career is ended, and not the way that I wanted it to, he said. He has said that he has unknowingly dealt with PTSD for years but the Watts case was the tipping point. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), This changed all of us: A year after Watts murders shook Colorado, investigators on the case continue grappling with trauma, Colorado deputy shot and killed unarmed man at point-blank range after struggle outside middle school, video shows, Pueblo County deputies shoot, kill man after shots fired near elementary school, Colorado food banks brace for surge in demand as pandemic-era boost to SNAP benefits ends, Three Summit School District staffers and a former employee face failure to report child abuse investigation, Christopher Watts murder investigation timeline, learned the exact horrific manner of how he murdered his wife and children, Use this map to locate resources by county in Colorado, A report by the U.S. Department of Justice released in April, Coloradans may have another chance to see the northern lights Monday night, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, 'A special treasure:' Home designated as a local historic structure in Fremont County, Sheriff: Armed suspect in barricade incident in El Paso County is shot, hospitalized. 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