Did the doctor really do it?

June 1, 2006 10:48 AM

Perhaps you read about this over the holiday weekend: While on a vacation in Miami to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, a radiation oncologist from Alton, IL throws his two gifted children, and then himself, off the high rise balcony of a swanky hotel in the art deco district.

The doctor's father says it was an act of insanity, but a co-worker insists the doctor was looking forward to the vacation. The wife, who says she saw her husband jump, told police "that Edward woke up in the morning and wanted to take a shower. But [she] asked whether she could use the bathroom first." - "And that's when he did it - like he snapped."

Police are baffled, but cautious... not knowing whether to investigae it as murder-suicide, or a good ol' fashioned murder-murder-murder. "We don't want to tip our hand with these people," Hodges said. "[The wife] has contacts here locally. This may be a murder, we don't know. She's the only one alive."
posted by bjork24 (23 comments total)

Newsfilter like this leaves me a bad taste in my mouth.

How could someone do such a thing?

In terms of a FPP this one smacks of sensationalism and offers no answers to the questions that it invariably invokes in readers.
posted by DragonBoy at 10:58 AM on June 1, 2006

I agree - I'm really left with nothing to say.
posted by agregoli at 11:01 AM on June 1, 2006

. . .
posted by pmbuko at 11:03 AM on June 1, 2006

The doctor's father says it was an act of insanity, but a co-worker insists the doctor was looking forward to the vacation.

Why do you suggest these facts are inconsistent?
posted by brain_drain at 11:05 AM on June 1, 2006

Like every parent hasn't thrown at least one kid from a balcony. C'mon guys.
posted by xmutex at 11:06 AM on June 1, 2006

I feel awful for the wife and the dead children. Why do people feel the need to murder thier children before the kill themselves? It just seems so poigantly selfish and mean (certainly to his surviving wife).

The majority of your FPP could have and should have been a "More Inside".
posted by fenriq at 11:06 AM on June 1, 2006

Finally, a chance to try out the HTML code for ellipsis.

…
posted by pracowity at 11:07 AM on June 1, 2006

Am I misreading your implication, or are you trying to suggest that the wife might have thrown her children and then her husband off the balcony?
posted by BackwardsCity at 11:07 AM on June 1, 2006

Supposedly, in the phone call to his father, the doctor expressed fears his children were being sexually abused.
posted by sonofsamiam at 11:08 AM on June 1, 2006

"We don't want to tip our hand with these people," Hodges said. "[The wife] has contacts here locally. This may be a murder, we don't know. She's the only one alive."

Uhhh...I can read them and I'm a thousand miles away.
posted by Pacheco at 11:17 AM on June 1, 2006

backwardscity, it's not so much an implication as a straight recitation of the story as described in the links. police suspect the woman of murdering her whole family.
posted by shmegegge at 11:19 AM on June 1, 2006

Soon to be gone over in detail in fictional and non-fiction versions on TV, no doubt.

Yes it's sensationalism. I admit to being curious though.

And I wonder why these things are so fascinating. Exploring some other family's troubles, individual or interpersonal pathology perhaps, - does it make us feel more normal by comparison? Is there a factor of class resentment, that we (non-rich) enjoy seeing the privileged fall? Then there is the whole mystery-story angle, about bringing the truth out of hiding.
posted by jam_pony at 11:22 AM on June 1, 2006

Maybe I'm reading the Lt.'s statement in a different way than most of you, but it doesn't seem especially likely to me that they're investigating the wife for murder. "This may be a murder, we don't know" is a far, far cry from "We have reason to believe this was a murder." She's not naming a suspect, she's just speaking in a probably-too-casual way to the press.

Is there any actual evidence that suggests there's any reason to think the wife may have done in?
posted by BackwardsCity at 11:25 AM on June 1, 2006

it.
posted by BackwardsCity at 11:25 AM on June 1, 2006

The whole story is just so bizzarre and shocking, regardless of how the remaining questions are resolved. While I think it is entirely appropriate for the Police to investigate all possible angle of a case like this (and all investigations must include a lot of "what-ifs" and speculation) it is totally inappropriate for posters on this site or anywhere on the internet to be engaging in idle speculation about the role of the mother in the tragedy.

MeTa
posted by BigLankyBastard at 11:27 AM on June 1, 2006

I seem to remember a similar spontaneous suicide, but I cannot recall if an autopsy ever finally proved the 'brain parasite' theory.
posted by bhance at 11:30 AM on June 1, 2006

The main link is just the first day story in which cops say it could be anything. I don't understand where the news is.
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:31 AM on June 1, 2006

Finally, a chance to try out the HTML code for ellipsis.

Hee!
posted by jack_mo at 11:34 AM on June 1, 2006

BigLankyBastard: It's just the Internet. I am sure the wife, whether bereaved or relieved, is not spending her time right now hanging out on MetaFilter.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:40 AM on June 1, 2006

Is this a publicity stunt for the Omen?
posted by blue_beetle at 11:42 AM on June 1, 2006

That's what people always say.
posted by BackwardsCity at 11:42 AM on June 1, 2006

She took the bathroom first? Ladies and gentlemen we have a motive!
posted by graventy at 11:44 AM on June 1, 2006

Supposedly, in the phone call to his father, the doctor expressed fears his children were being sexually abused.


Obviously, the best solution is to KILL THEM.
posted by agregoli at 11:46 AM on June 1, 2006