Since the last Great Recession, We Have Unfortunately Seen a Surge in Suicides
Suicide currently ranks the 7th leading cause of death in the United States with that number growing all the time.
I have found that many of the calls we are sent out to that involve suicide, are in some way related to money. Such a temporary problem and such a permanent solution… if you can even call it that. Sometimes people feel that their problems are too great, and that the only way to escape them is through death. Others, most often men with families, feel like the only solution to their money troubles is to end their lives, and some even believe that through their passing that they can provide more wealth than if they were alive.
We got the call to one such a case recently in the suburbs of Miami, Florida. It was a nice, middle class neighborhood in a more rural part of the area. The home listed as the address was modest yet charming, obviously built within the last few years… the driveway remained unfinished, and the wet weather we’d been having formed large puddles of mud that would coat ourselves and our equipment before the job was through.
As we walked up to the doorway we were approached by a police officer who directed us to the garage… there we found the body of John Doe being placed into a black body bag for his ride to the funeral home, or coroner’s office… a massive pool of blood had collected on the floor of the garage.
John D. had apparently been in over his head with financial obligations… his family had just moved into their new home only a couple of years ago, and his wife never had any inclination that any trouble could be brewing. But it was. John D. had been living outside their means for quite some time, after all his family deserved the best and at least as much as the Jones… but trying to keep up with the neighbors and maintain an image that all is well within, is tough work.
Eventually, It Became Too Much For Him to Bear
He wrote his wife of 20 years a letter apologizing for his failures and attached a copy of his life insurance policy to it. He told her she shouldn’t have to worry about money for awhile and that he was sorry for the mess(which mess he meant was not clear). Then, I assume to try to contain the aftermath of the act, John Doe went to the garage, knelt down, and shot himself once through the temple.
Once John Doe’s wife got home, she quickly discovered her husband and frantically ran to try to save him, as evidenced by the story told by her bloody shoeprints left on the carpet and tile of the rest of her home. Unfortunately, John was beyond help by that point. I’m sure, had he asked, she would have preferred to have her husband alive, than any amount of money… now she is left to pick up the pieces and to try to make sense out of the senseless. We did our part to help her going forward, as we successfully removed all signs that anything had ever taken place. I wish we could have done more, but we all have our part to play.
We do a nasty job. Blood cleanup, body fluids, tissue, its a constant challenge. It is important that no one attempt to clean up a crime scene that has not been professionally trained. Not only can the event be traumatic for friends and family but it can also be dangerous as well. Crime Scenes can be littered with biohazards such as HIV/AIDS, MRSA, dangerous chemicals, or other hidden bio hazards.
Advanced Bio Treatment has unique chemicals and equipment that can deal with any crime scene or biohazard a situation might present. Our crime scene cleanup technicians are trained to handle all blood, body tissues, and bodily fluids and we can also deodorize any area if necessary. We are also thoroughly versed in all state and federal guidelines including OSHA regulations and API work safe guidelines. ABT professionals have a nasty, but necessary job to do. If you need assistance with a nasty cleanup job, give ABT a call at 800-295-1684.
