A California man has been arrested for the murder of his three children. Robert Hodges, the 33-year-old man from Sacramento, fled the scene after the gristly murders but was later taken into police custody early Thursday morning after they apprehended him.

According to the Daily Mail, police had been called to Hodges’ home to investigate a domestic violence dispute between the husband and wife. On the way to their home, police received a second call notifying the officers that the couples’ three children were likely dead.

Police and medical personnel rushed to the scene and attempted to save the children, aged 11, nine, and eight months, but to no avail — all three were declared dead at the scene of the crime.

Police then gave chase to find Hodges, who had fled the home in an attempt to escape punishment.

No other details have been made public at this time, such as the manner in which the children died nor their exact relation to Hodges. Police are currently trying to ascertain whether or not Hodges was the father of the children.

The names of the mother and the children have not been released to the public.

“It’s horrific and it’s very difficult to deal with,” said West Sacramento Police Sgt. Roger Kinney. “This [investigation] is going to take not hours, not days, it’s going to take a long time a long time to come to grips with what happened there.”

Hodges has been booked into the Yolo County jail. His charges include three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Friends and family members have set up a GoFundMe page for the mother of the three children with the following message:

“West Sacramento and beyond, we need to come around to support Mai, a mother who tragically witnessed the loss of her three children by a horrific act. She needs all of the love and support she can get right now, the last thing she needs to worry about is money and how her needs will be met while she is in a state of trauma. Please help us meet our goal and let’s bless this mother!