It usually doesn’t make any headlines when someone hangs themselves or otherwise finds a way to end their lives. Dozens of people everyday find a way to do so.
But The New York Times today tells the heart-wrenching story of a 25-year-old Mexican immigrant mother who hung not only herself, but her four daughters as well. One of them survived.
Apparently, the breakup with her husband and domestic violence led to her distress:
She sounded distraught, “but I had no idea she would do this,” said Filly Echeverría, the girls’ godmother.
Relatives said Ms. Estrada had been depressed in recent months after separating from her common-law husband. Sheriff Fowler said she had obtained a restraining order against the man in August because of domestic violence against her.
It’s not only difficult when you’re dealing with all of that, but when you’re an immigrant, you can often feel isolated from much of society — and society’s services, such as healthcare. Not to mention how different cultures view ideas like “mental health.”
Just a sad story.
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading ...You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Links to This Article
Κρέμασε τις κόρες της! > Ο κοσμος ετσι οπως τον βλεπω εγω (5/30/2007)
2 Comments to
“Mother Hangs Herself and…”
Just so tragic.
We need to find a way to reach out compassionately to those who are abused by their husbands and ensure they receive the necessary support from the community when they need it the most. The results of abuse are staggering and while I want to fall short of blaming the husband for this tragic event the authorities “police” could have referred the situation to some kind of counselling service or church. Maybe they did and maybe they just didn’t care. Situational depression can be extremely dangerous if not addressed as this case unfortunately shows us. At this time all that is left is a prayer for forgiveness and the hope that the daughter who survived this tragedy succeeds in turning into something special. In a sense the community here is challenged to do everything it can to turn her life into a success story so that one day she can tell the story of a life won instead of the story of lost lives.
May this story turn into the story of a great woman who survived.
Join the Conversation! Post a Comment:
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 May 2007
