The district attorneys office has been contacted by people from as far away as the United Kingdom and Japan who want information. And it did, he said, but the answers came at a price. Kirby Lewis, Agent in Charge at CBI, noted that the next morning, investigators arrived with this sense of dread because you know what the mission is. Baumhover went to Wisconsin because he needed to know what happened. In a way, I think I became more hardened to what people can do to each other, the veteran prosecutor said. I felt like I knew what they sounded like. She couldnt stop, and she went to sit in the car. Now a majority are voluntarily adopting them. It will also bring some much needed mythbusting to this case, and hopefully by shining a light into the darker side of criminal investigations - the emotional and psychological toll investigators suffer - do some good along the way. After his diagnosis in March, he entered counseling. 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. For many of the agencies involved, the case prompted frank conversations about mental health. He said, It was too much, too ugly, for too long, she said. At the sight of the girls, he once again was at the Weld County oil site where eight months ago he had recovered the bodies of Bella and Celeste Watts. Television stations continue to create documentaries. And their names, he said. She expected she would take this one in stride as well. 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Many people could see themselves in the family. I felt like I knew them, Lee said. Dave Baumhover, lead detective for Frederick Police on the Christopher Watts case, stands outside his home in Frederick on July 25, 2019. But this is an issue that we cant ignore anymore.. He knew it would destroy them. Anybody with this information is encouraged to contact Det. The trip was supposed to be a chance for him to clear his head after leading the investigation into the murders of the girls and their pregnant mother, Shanann Watts. 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. Baumhover has worked in Colorado law enforcement for the bulk of the past 20 years in a variety of roles. Even hundreds of miles away in Phoenix, he couldnt escape reminders of the case he was trying to move past. And their names, he said. 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. It kept pulling me in.. And while he at first denied having anything to do with their disappearance and even at one point claimed Shanann killed his daughters before he killed her, he lateradmitted to slaying them all. Lori already has started compiling resources that are available to officers. 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. Now, Baumhover told the Denver Post, seeing little girls triggers him. Opinion: Colorado farms going fallow? Every bit of Baumhover family life has been reshaped by PTSD. For many of the agencies involved, the case prompted frank conversations about mental health. There were few of the hallmarks of other murders because there didnt seem to be any signs of violence before the killings. Colorado agencies have made professional counseling easily accessible for their staff, created peer support programs and, in some cases, made counseling mandatory after certain types of traumatic events, Nicoletti said. info@mhpsonline.com. He never processed that trauma correctly. The killings didnt make sense to people, he said. He didnt know how he was going to tell Shananns parents. Just a nagging. He was the detective on the Chris Watts case. National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.org. He couldnt understand how such horror was possible and how Watts could coldly detail it step by step. Dave Baumhover at 303-652-4222 or dbaumhover@frederickco.gov, or the Frederick Police Department at 720-382-5700. https://www.mental-armor.org, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The night after the confession, Baumhover lay on his hotel room bed. 1:17. If they go out, Lori directs her husband where he shouldnt look so he can avoid seeing kids that might trigger him. Baumhover went to Wisconsin because he needed to know what happened. She scheduled a therapy appointment for 8 a.m. the following Monday. The 52-year-old hasnt worked since his PTSD diagnosis in March because his symptoms are so severe. Baumhover has been on leave from the department since. He couldnt think. Its dangerous to watch television or go online. Cops need to hear from other cops, he said. Det. Look up. For more information, please see our He graduated from Carroll High School in 1973 and then attended Universal Technical Institute in Omaha for heating and cooling service. He loved the job, despite the long hours. The killer, father and husband to the victims, had already confessed and received multiple life sentences. As for finding Bella in the second tank, its a memory that still haunts her: I cant get that image out of my head, she said. Instead, she sobbed at the hair salon as her helpless mother and sister looked on. It would make her think of how Shanann would never get to have those small moments with her daughters again. Call the hotline at 303-322-7273 for free, 24-hour help. If they go out, Lori directs her husband where he shouldnt look so he can avoid seeing kids that might trigger him. For the first time, the federal government is studying exactly how prevalent mental health issues are within law enforcement and is searching for best practices in a career where seeking help has long been stigmatized. They suffer nightmares about oil wells or are haunted by a lasting memory of the girls giggles. That has shifted as agencies and their leaders have recognized the importance of cultural change that encourages them to seek help. But he always came back. But this is an issue that we cant ignore anymore.. He stopped sleeping. 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. David Allen Baumhover (Dave Allen Baumhover) Age 80+ Location Carroll, IA Monitor View Cell Phone Number View Background Report Phone Numbers Landlines (2) (712) 792-3758 (712) 792-0731 Cell Phones Premium Primary Whitepages Primary Numbers Quickly identify the best number Higher confidence data Available with Premium ( ) - View Cell Phone Numbers Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. Death 25 Jul 2007 (aged 84) Carroll, Carroll County, Iowa, USA. Denver Sexual Assault Hotline: thebluebench.org. She kept thinking of the video of the girls when Shanann told them that she was pregnant how the girls laughed and jumped up and down at the news, pulling their mom into a long hug. It was the first time his wife, Lori, had seen him cry. Visit Detective Baumhover's blog at https://www.mental-armor.org/ Uncategorized Look up. Baumhover has been on leave from the department since. Lynne Baumhover. He couldnt remember names or control his emotions. Hes not sure whether he will be able to return to law enforcement, a career that once drew him like a magnet. Woman shot near CU Boulder overnight, suspect is at large, This is unprecedented": Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, Glamping meets mountaineering at this starlit new 12,500-foot destination near Telluride, Skygazers will have a great view Wednesday of two planets that look like they are almost touching, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. I mean, it affected me deeply and I wasnt on scene, he said. If they go out, Lori directs her husband where he shouldnt look so he can avoid seeing kids that might trigger him. The killer, father and husband to the victims, had already confessed and received multiple life sentences. Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA): movingtoendsexualassault.org. He couldnt remember names or control his emotions. Frederick Police Department Detective, DAVE BAUMHOVER, arrived at the The purpose for our visit to the was to interview CHRISTOPHER LEE WATTS (05/16/1985) concerning the murder of his pregnant wife and daughters as well as to discuss other individuals who claimed to have had an affair with WATTS during his marriage. that he has been diagnosed with acute PTSD as a result of working on the case. It would make her think of how Shanann would never get to have those small moments with her daughters again. I wasnt even there. I feel like if I dont catch a little girl, like if I miss one, that I failed him, she said, her voice cracking. Cookie Notice At least 167 officers died by suicide in 2018. Join Facebook to connect with Dave Baumhover and others you may know. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. 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. He knew he would need time before he could see little girls without being triggered. I'm really sad he deleted his blog. Soap or a phone call? He smelled the oil that coated them. The website also has resources like a guide to helping someone you know who is being abused. Frederick police Detective Dave Baumhover fled the restaurant when the two little girls walked in. CBI agent Tammy Lee said Celeste was recovered first and that she was still in her nightgown, a detail that appears to upset her still. For the first time, the federal government is studying exactly how prevalent mental health issues are within law enforcement and is searching for best practices in a career where seeking help has long been stigmatized. Then hed go home and see his stepdaughter, who is about the same age as the dead girls, dancing and playing. After taking some sick time, he registered with workers compensation. This one was different. He knew it would destroy them. The callousness of the way they were discarded still baffles Maloney. Michael C Hendrix and Therese M Hendrix, 22802 Northeast 189th Street, Woodinville (unincorporated), WA 98077 Find homes for sale, market statistics, foreclosures, property taxes, real estate news, agent reviews, condos, neighborhoods on Blockshopper.com He explained how he smothered the girls individually, how 4-year-old Bella had to watch her little sister die. He tried to go back to work, but the flashbacks worsened. The Watts family also seemed so normal, he said. Denver Sexual Assault Hotline: thebluebench.org. The trip was supposed to be a chance for him to clear his head after leading the investigation into the murders of the girls and their pregnant mother, Shanann Watts. It kept pulling me in.. Call the 24-hour hotline at 303-443-7300. He explained how he smothered the girls individually, how 4-year-old Bella had to watch her little sister die. Many people could see themselves in the family. You have no choice until the ride shuts off.. Still, the continued public and media interest in the case makes it difficult to move on, investigators said. But police work comes at a cost. David Pitt. He was the detective on the Chris Watts case. Lori already has started compiling resources that are available to officers. Watts was charged for their deaths. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Marshall fire victims protested green building codes as too expensive. But as he bolted from the restaurant to the parking lot to escape the flashback rage, grief and anxiety flooding his body he knew it would take more than a trip to heal the post-traumatic stress disorder he was diagnosed with after the case. He doesnt think he can expose himself again to the inherent trauma of the job. Elise Schmelzer is the public safety reporter at The Denver Post and covers policing, crime and criminal justice. Through counseling, Lee said she was able to process her grief. The night after the confession, Baumhover lay on his hotel room bed. Violence Free Colorado: Use this map to locate resources by county in Colorado. jbaumhover@lyonsfilter.com. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at St. Lawrence Church-St. John Paul II Catholic Parish in Carroll. Violence Free Colorado: Use this map to locate resources by county in Colorado. He stopped sleeping. Shannan's familyhas previously begged for the harassment and rumors they have endured to stop. That Shanann would never get to go to lunch with them again, or buy them a new outfit. He stopped sleeping. Their faces. The killings didnt make sense to people, he said. They suffer nightmares about oil wells or are haunted by a lasting memory of the girls giggles. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Look up. Dont look right. She had just gone to bed, Lee said during the taping of Criminal Confessions, fighting back tears. What a horrible, horrible thought that is, Michael Rourke, Weld County District Attorney, said on Criminal Confessions. Intense public and media interest in the case continues, making it difficult for investigators to heal. In his natural resource-rich county, he is bombarded by memories every time he sees a tank. He was moved from Colorado over safety concerns, The Denver Post reported in December. And while he at first denied having anything to do with their disappearance and even at one point claimed Shanann killed his daughters before he killed her, he lateradmitted to slaying them all. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. 0:00. Where do you go where you dont see little girls? she asked. View David J. Baumhover's professional profile on LinkedIn. Many people could see themselves in the family. 10 records for David Baumhover. And it did, he said, but the answers came at a price. And I said, I know. . 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