In a poignant moment, a 911 call revealed the desperate plea of 10-year-old Corey Breininger as he sought urgent assistance for his father, who lay dying from a gunshot wound. The call encapsulated a young boy’s anguish and signaled what appeared to be a tragic accident.

For nearly a decade, the death of Robert Breininger was accepted as a heartbreaking incident, a misfortune that befell the family in their Defiance County, Ohio home. However, nine years after the event, unsettling revelations emerged that transformed the narrative entirely.

This perplexing case is set to be explored in detail during the season six finale of Accident, Suicide, or Murder, scheduled to air on January 24 at 8 p.m. ET on the Oxygen network. The episode aims to unravel the complexities surrounding Robert’s death and reveal the hidden truth that eluded many for years.

Corey Breininger’s Frantic 911 Call For Help

Back in November 2003, young Corey, engulfed by fear and urgency, made the distressing call to emergency services, reporting that his father had been shot. In a preview of the upcoming episode, the heart-wrenching exchange between Corey and the dispatcher unfolds, capturing the essence of Corey’s desperation as he implored, “I need help right away.” The dispatcher, attempting to calm the distressed child, responded gently, “What happened, honey? Calm down.”

“I need help right away,” Corey begged a dispatcher in a call captured in an episode preview. To which the dispatcher replied, “What happened, honey? Calm down.”

As Cory told her, “He’s shot,” adding his dad had been struck “in the head.”

Defiance County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cliff Vandemark, now retired, was dispatched to the scene.

“I knew right away where I was going,” he explained in the promo. “Living in Defiance County all my life, you get to know everybody. I knew Robert Breininger, owner of the property. I just knew him growing up through school.” 

His connection to the case made it all the more personal for Vandemark as he approached the family’s home.

“I arrive at the Breininger residence and that’s when Corey opens the door and he’s just devastated,” Vandemark recalled. “He grabs my hand and he started to take me to the back where his dad was and I stopped him. And I walked back there and as soon as I’d seen Robert, I knew there was nothing to be done.” 

Robert was lying on a bed with a bullet to his head.

“I knew the devastation that I was seeing,” Vandemark said. “He was gone.”

Tip Leads to Investigators to Reopen Robert Breininger Investigation

Authorities believed Robert was killed by his young son in a tragic accident. 

“Well, everyone felt bad for their family,” Corey’s friend Carla Collins recalled in another preview. “Corey was 10 and he was home by himself. I can’t imagine how scary that was for him.” 

Although questions remained about the circumstances of Robert’s death, the community believed that Corey had suffered enough and moved on from the tragedy. 

Then, nine years later, a teacher came forward with a shocking allegation. She claimed, according to Vandemark, that Corey told her “it wasn’t an accident,” sparking new questions about what really happened that fateful day. 

To find out more about what investigators are able to uncover—and the stunning motive behind Robert’s death—watch Accident, Suicide, or Murder, airing Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen.