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MI- Kent County Jail inmate who tried to strangle himself will be taken off life support Saturday, father says

3-28-2009 Michigan:

GRAND RAPIDS -- Konrad Spiegel, the Caledonia Township man hospitalized since he tried to commit suicide in the Kent County Jail last week, will be taken off life support Saturday, his father said Friday night.

Richard Spiegel said a judge, acting on the county's request, granted an order releasing his son from custody and turning him over to his family, who have decided to stop life-saving treatment, Richard Spiegel said.

"There are no indications that he is getting any better or that he will," Richard Spiegel said. "There is nothing anyone can do and it will be up to the Lord to see how long he'll stay alive."

The family plans to donate Spiegel's organs if he passes with an hour of life support being removed. Doctors said the 40-year-old's excellent physical condition make it unclear how long he'll survive, Richard Spiegel said.

Konrad Spiegel was jailed March 13 when he allegedly tried to force a female acquaintance into his car outside a bar. He was accused of having a sawed-off shotgun during the alleged offense.

Authorities said Spiegel fashioned a noose from inmate clothing and connected it to bars in his one-man cell, strangling him on March 18.

He had been screened for suicidal tendencies, but had shown no signs of despondency, police said. ..Source.. by Nate Reens | The Grand Rapids Press

Zero compassion for child molester

3-19-2009 Canada:

There's zero compassion for a child molester -- even if he commits suicide.

Especially if he hides in the weeds for four decades, leaving the family of his victim to suffer unknown loss and torture all the while.

Does the human heart have no warmth for a sick, vile man?

Barry Vincent Manion, just two days after pleading guilty to murdering 12-year-old Katherine May Wilson, was found dead in his Monteith jail cell Friday.

It's not official how he died. Unnamed media sources reportedly said he was found dead in the morning and there was hanging involved.

Manion, 61, told the court last week he killed the child in 1970 while living in Kirkland Lake. The girl, his second cousin, had threatened to tell her parents about how he had been sexually abusing her for two years.

Manion slipped out of town shortly afterward, taking his wife and kids to southern Ontario.

Like many missing person cases then and now, the trail went cold or the file was lost in a pile of bigger priorities.

The Ontario Provincial Police re-interviewed family members recently, including Wilson's younger sisters.

Manion, who had been convicted of molesting two nieces in the early 1980s and had settled in London, Ont., must have been tired of carrying the guilt and brought OPP officers to the place he remembers leaving the girl's body.

Subsequent efforts to find her remains are expected this spring. ..Source.. by DAVE DALE

OH- Mom Loses Daughter Over 'Sexting,' Demands Accountability

3-6-2009 Ohio:

CINCINNATI -- More and more teenagers are getting caught "sexting," or sending racy, revealing or nude pictures of themselves on their cell phones. But when that picture gets in the wrong hands, it can be devastating. One local couple says "sexting" cost them their daughter.

Jessie Logan was 18 years old and about to graduate from Sycamore High School when a nude picture she sent to her boyfriend was sent to hundreds of students at schools around the Tri-State.

Last May, Jessie talked to News 5’s Sheree Paolello about how embarrassed and humiliated she was. She said she was being harassed and teased by other students, at home, at school and when she went out.

As she tried to explain what it was like, Jessie broke down crying. "I still get harassed and stuff,” she said. “I just want to make sure no one else will have to go through this same thing."

Jessie was trying to be strong. She wanted to warn other parents and kids. But Jessie's mom, Cynthia Logan, says the teasing turned to torture.

"She was called filthy names, things thrown at her,” said Cynthia. “Every single place she went they knew about that picture, they saw the picture. They knew about the picture! It's abuse. She was abused."

Cynthia says the moment her daughter’s private picture was sent out for everyone to see, things spiraled out of control. Jessie's grades plummeted, she started skipping school and Cynthia says when Jessie would go to school, she would hide in the bathroom to avoid being teased.

Jessie's family and friends knew how much she was struggling to move on but they had no idea how low Jessie had fallen. Two months after Jessie spoke with News 5, she went to the funeral of a boy who had committed suicide. After the funeral, she came home and killed herself.

Eight months later, that horrifying moment was almost unbearable for Cynthia to recall. “And I walked over into her room and saw her hanging. Her cell phone was in the middle of the floor."

Cynthia found her daughter hanging in the closet.

Images: Remembering Jessie Logan

What seemed like high school bullying changed this family forever. The last memory Cynthia has of her petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed, only child is a phone conversation that happened hours before Jessie took her own life.

Cynthia could hardly utter the words. “And she said ‘I love you madre.’ And I said ‘I love you baby and I'll see you soon.’"

Cynthia and her husband, Albert, say they are heartbroken and angry. They feel like something should have been done. They question why the five teenagers who continued to spread Jessie's picture and harass her were never charged.

"Almost eight months later, my daughter is buried in the ground. Are you kidding me? Where were you?" asked Cynthia as if the authorities were right in front of her.

Since Jessie’s death, authorities have started taking action against “sexting.”

Montgomery police have charged one teenage boy who sent a racy video to other students. And Wednesday, the Warren County prosecutor filed misdemeanor charges against two 15-year-old students at Mason High School, for sending out nude pictures over their cell phones.

The school resource officer at Sycamore said he tried to do something about Jessie’s case. He said he confronted the kids who were harassing Jessie and even took Jessie's case to the prosecutor to see if he could press charges. But he said that because Jessie was 18, there were no laws to protect her. He said he'd like to work with the Logans to have the laws changed.

Cynthia says the fault doesn't only lie with the police, but also with the school.

"To have a nude photo being disseminated throughout the school of your child, how would you feel as a parent?” she asked. “Wouldn't you want other parents to know?"

Adrienne James, the superintendent for Sycamore Schools said letters were not sent out to parents, but that the district did address the cell phone problem at a parent’s night school forum.

James also said no action was taken against the students because some attended school in a different district. She also explained that because Jessie took the picture at home and not on school property, there was little the school could do.

No explanation can comfort Cynthia or her family. She believes Jessie took her life to escape the relentless teasing and feels like the people who were supposed to protect Jessie, failed her.

"The police department didn't protect her. The school didn't protect her. She had no one,” said Cynthia.

Because Cynthia knows she can’t turn back the clock, she wants to change the laws. She says she wants “sexting” to stop and for the people involved to be held accountable.

Cynthia also wants every parent to know how dangerous this teenage trend is, so that no parent has to find their child the way she did or go on without them the way she must do now. ..News Source.. by Sheree Paolello

SC- Teacher Accused of Student Sex is Dead

Of over 400 suicides recorded, this is the first woman to have committed suicide. Although there were two female teenagers (Jessee Logan and Hope Witsell) who committed suicide over sexting.

3-22-2009 South Carolina:

Angela “Angel” Simmons Lindle, 37, a former middle school teacher accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student is dead. Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Lindle committed suicide today at her Donald’s home, located at 921 Greenville Church Road. Lindle died from a single gun shot wound. Greenwood County EMS arrived at Lindle's home at 12:20pm.

Simmons was arrested on February 20, 2009 after deputies say she had numerous sexual encounters with a former student. She was facing seven counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Lindle was released on a $75,000 surety bond on March 5 and was under electronic monitoring as per the conditions of her bond. She was scheduled to appear in court on April 6. Lindle was a former seventh grade teacher at Edgewood Middle School in Ninety-Six.

The Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office has asked that we not release any further details concerning Lindle’s death at this time; however, Sheriff Tony Davis has released the following statement:

“We feel great sadness for Mrs. Lindle and her family.” ..News Source.. by Staff Reporter

CO- Inmate found dead in Garfield County jail

3-20-2009 Colorado:

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - The Garfield County Sheriff's Department says an inmate accused of sexually assaulting a child was found dead in his cell.

Officials say 25-year old Antonio Delgadillo was found hanging during a routine security in the jail's maximum security unit on Thursday. No other details have been released.

Delgadillo was being held on charges of sexual assault on a child, second-degree kidnapping, child abuse and contempt of court.

Officials say Delgadillo was not under suicide watch.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Tanny M. McGinnis says an autopsy report has not been completed. ..Source.. by News Channel 13

National study of jail suicides: Seven years later

1989:

Abstract:
Project staff from the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives (NCIA) gathered information from all jails (county and city) and police department lockups throughout the country regarding the incidence of jail suicides during 1985 and 1986. The study resulted in the identification of 854 jail suicides during 1985–86, with 453 occurring in 1985 and 401 in 1986. Project staff analyzed demographic data on 339 of the 1986 suicides. Subsequent comparison with NCIA's prior national research revealed that, absent minor variations, there were not any appreciable differences in jail suicide characteristics from 1979 and 1986. Most of the key characteristics of jail suicide-offense, intoxication, method/instrument, isolation, and length of incarceration-have remained virtually unchanged over time. The consistency of such findings could impact the ability to deter suicidal behavior. The utilization of these findings in the prevention of jail suicides is discussed. ..Source.. by Lindsay M. Hayes

And Darkness Closes in...A National Study of Jail Suicides

1983:

Abstract:
Inmates in county jails and police lockups commit suicide at a rate of 16 times greater than individuals in the general population. This conclusion was reached as a result of findings in a National Study of Jail Suicides. Documentation of 419 suicides in county and local jails during 1979 is presented. From demographic data collected on 344 of these suicides, a profile of the victim was constructed. The victim is most likely to be a 22-year-old, white, single male. He would have been arrested for public intoxication, the only offense leading to his arrest, and would presumably be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs upon incarceration. Further, the victim would not have had a significant history of prior arrests. He would have been taken to an urban county jail and immediately placed in isolation for his own protection and/or surveillance. However, less than three hours after incarceration, he would be dead. He would have hanged himself with material from his bed (such as a sheet or pillowcase). The incident would have taken place on a Saturday night in September, between the hours of midnight and 1:00 a.m. Jail staff would have found the victim, they say, within 15 minutes of the suicide. Later, jail records would indicate that the victim did not have a history of mental illness or previous suicide attempts. The special considerations of juvenile suicide, isolation, and intoxication are analyzed. Recommendations for jailers, public officials, and legislators are presented. ..Source.. by LINDSAY M. HAYES, National Center on Institutions and Alternatives Alexandria, Virginia

Inmate suicide an ongoing problem despite series of reforms

3-19-2009 Florida:

Marion County Jail, now facing federal investigation, had adopted expert's recommendations on prevention

When Lindsay Hayes finished studying suicides in jails across the United States back in the 1970s, he was struck by what he found.

A lot of suicides were not reported and no one paid much attention to the issue, said Hayes, a project director at the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives, a nonprofit organization.

The attitude back then, he said, was, "Yes, we know they [commit suicide], but that's part of the difficulty of running a jail."

Over the past 30 years, that attitude has improved, partly due to Hayes' studies, which led to development of suicide prevention manuals and trainings, and partly because more and more jail accrediting organizations have added suicide prevention to their protocol.

This week, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would begin an investigation of the Marion County Jail's suicide prevention efforts as well as its use of force.

Since that first study by Hayes, the rate of suicides in jails has dropped from 107 cases in 100,000 inmates to 38 in 100,000.

But that rate is still much higher than the suicide rate in the community, which stands at 11 cases in 100,000 people.

Hayes repeated his study on jail suicides again in the mid-1980s and found very similar data: Not only had jails not changed their attitudes toward suicides, but many inmates continued to commit suicide 24 hours after arrest and many were intoxicated.

"At that point I thought we'd done enough research, and we knew who does it and when. So we said let's try and look to see where we can reduce the risk," he said.

The answer boiled down to two things: staff training and a thorough inmate screening at intake. The recommendations have been since put in a suicide prevention manual.

One of Hayes' jobs now is going to various jails across the nation and offering recommendations for reducing their suicide rates.

"Nine times out of 10 I get calls from jails that have had a rash of suicides and they're concerned, because they've looked at it internally and they just want a fresh pair of eyes," said Hayes.

He got such call from the Marion County Sheriff's Office in March 2008 - three months after Ocala Community Care, a local nonprofit organization, took over Prison Health Services in delivery of medical care to inmates.

The jail had three suicides in 2007, the highest number since 2000. And its rate over the past nine years is higher than the national jail suicide average.

It is unclear what prompted the federal investigation into the county jail's suicide prevention efforts, which is expected to take several months - but officials say it was not based on any single incident.

"They haven't really divulged a whole lot of information other than that they're going to come investigate our jail," Sheriff's Office spokesman Jimmy Pogue said Wednesday. No legal counsel has been appointed yet to guide the Sheriff's office through the process, he added.

Chief Assistant Public Defender William Miller, who previously represented one of the inmates who committed suicide at the jail in 2007, said news of the investigation caught him by surprise.

"It seemed to me, based on the information that I had, that things had improved since the changes were made [in 2007]," he said.

Many of the improvements, officials say, were based on Hayes' recommendations.

In his visit to the Marion County Jail, Hayes made a list of 25 recommendations - most of which have been implemented, jail officials say. Among them was staff training.

One of the focuses of the training, which he recommends to many jails across the nation, is changing the attitude of staff members who simply believe suicides are not preventable.

"If you go in with that negative attitude at any task, then you won't be successful," said Hayes. "But if you go in saying that I won't tolerate suicide in my system, hopefully that will result in reduction of suicides. That mantra became a part of my training - the most important part."

Officials at the Marion County Jail said Tuesday that since Hayes' visit last year, they have implemented a suicide prevention training for new staff and annual refresher for all the staff.

Hayes also recommends that jails change the intake form.

"One of the worst questions on the screening form was if inmates' behavior suggested suicidal tendency," said Hayes. "Now, if you have an arrestee walking in, that's not a good way to assess them."

The new form, which Marion County Jail officials said they're now using, asks more detailed questions so the intake nurses can assess the inmates better. Those questions inquire about family history, experiencing significant loss and past suicide attempts.

One of the reasons that suicides occur at higher rates in jails than in the community is the jail environment - or in Hayes' words, "separation and isolation."

In addition, "We get a high-risk population," said Capt. Mike Forte, a watch commander at the Marion County Jail. "There is the isolation from family and friends. A change for a person from being free. The shame and embarrassment of charges, or a long prison sentence. And the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, not knowing what the future is going to hold."

In a jail where the average population is currently around 1,600, between three and nine inmates are on suicide watch at any time, according to local officials.

Many are put in a suicide pod or are on watch after making a verbal threat, making nonverbal gestures, or indicating their intentions in letters to family and friends, Forte said.

Inmates in the suicide precaution unit get checked every 15 minutes.

The most common method of suicide in jails is hanging, according to Hayes.

Loretha Tolbert-Rich, who works for the Sheriff's Office and is the medical liaison for the jail, said that based on Hayes' recommendations, the jail is nearing completion of a special housing unit for inmates who come out of suicide pods. The idea is to gradually reintroduce them back to the general inmate population.

"We've also increased the communication between the jail staff and the officers," she said.

More than a decade after his last study, Hayes is getting ready to release a national study, commissioned by the Department of Justice, based on 2005-2006 data.

Although he couldn't release all the details of the study, Hayes said that the trend of suicides for the first time has changed since the 1970s, when he released the very first study on suicides in jails.

"More of the suicides are now occurring a couple of days into incarceration, and even in the first couple of weeks... So now we're trying for figure out why. Maybe we're doing such a good job at intake, and we're finding people early on and putting them on suicide watch, perhaps that leads to delaying and preventing suicides."

The data also shows that the suicide rates are decreasing.

"The wind has changed. If you go in a jail today and ask them about inmate suicides, I would hope that they say that suicide prevention is an important part of their operation - and they no longer have the attitude that it doesn't matter." ..Source.. by Naseem Sowti Miller, Staff writer

MN- Sex offender dies after taking pills

3-19-2009 Minnesota:

A Red Wing sex offender charged with possessing child pornography died Wednesday of an apparent suicide.

Red Wing police Chief Tim Sletten said officers were called at 7:09 p.m. Monday to 425 22nd St., where a man was reportedly unresponsive after taking a large amount of pills.

Officers found Bobby Varnado at the residence and he was transported to a medical facility. The 39-year-old died Wednesday at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.

“It is unfortunate any time a person takes their own life,” said Assistant Goodhue County Attorney Erin Kuester. “We will focus on offering counseling and mental health services for the victims and their family members.”

Kuester, who prosecutes sex-related crimes for the county, said charges against Varnado will likely be dismissed.

Varnado had been charged with seven counts of using a minor in a sexual performance and four counts of possessing child pornography. Initial charges were filed in December after a multi-agency online investigation flagged Varnado’s Internet use for allegedly distributing child porn.

Charges intensified this month when investigators discovered evidence he had created several images of child porn using children known to him, a criminal complaint states.

He had been arrested most recently on March 11, then released later that day on $30,000 bail.

If convicted of the most serious charges, Varnado faced a maximum 70 years in prison.

The lesser charges each carried a maximum penalty of three years behind bars.

He had been convicted in 1995 of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and spent a year in jail for the offense.

Varnado had not yet entered a plea in the latest case, but was scheduled for an April 3 hearing. ..Source.. by Mike Longaecker The Republican Eagle

NY- Accused attacker of Wyoming County teen found dead

3-18-2009 New York:

The man accused of attacking a 15-year-old boy in Perry, Wyoming County, Monday night was found deceased yesterday morning in Castile, Wyoming County.

Wyoming County sheriff’s deputies found Paul J. Richards, 39, of Silver Springs, Wyoming County, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his family’s cabin on Oak Hill Road, said New York State Police Investigator Robert Edwards. Based on evidence collected at the house and an investigation conducted by sheriff’s deputies, it was determined that Richards was the man accused of attacking a teen the previous night on Oatka Road in Perry.

State Police said a 15-year-old boy was walking along Oatka Road, about 10 p.m. Monday, when he was assaulted. The teen told troopers that he was walking home from a friend’s house when a man approached him from behind and struck him in the head with a handgun, said Sgt. Michael Hockey.

The two struggled and the man apparently tried to bind the teen with what appeared to be plastic handcuffs, Hockey said. The teen was able to fight off the man, gain control of the gun and fire two shots into the ground. The man then fled the scene in a red pickup truck.

The boy, who suffered several head lacerations, was able to get home on his own. He was taken to Wyoming County Community Hospital, where he was treated for minor head lacerations and released, troopers said.

Edwards said teens did not know his attacker.

Troopers and deputies today continue to investigate the incident. ..Source.. by Victoria E. Freile • Staff writer

AR- Molestation suspect found dead in hotel

Posted in Related Deaths
3-11-2009 Arizona:

An Oceanside barber suspected of child molestation was found dead in a Flagstaff, Ariz., hotel yesterday after local police heard gunshots inside the room, authorities said.

Flagstaff police found Andone Hairabedian, 62, and a woman dead in the hotel room. It was unclear if the woman was Hairabedian's wife, Yvonne.

Oceanside police Officer Kim Rainwater said that on Feb. 19 the department's family protection unit began to investigate allegations that Hairabedian, already a registered sex offender, had molested a relative under age 14 at his home. The next day, investigators searched Hairabedian's home on South Coast Highway and his barbershop on Mission Avenue.

Detectives later found out Hairabedian and his wife had fled Oceanside, Rainwater said.

CT- State police: Man awaiting trial an apparent suicide in Southbury

3-10-2009 Connecticut:

SOUTHBURY -- An Oxford man awaiting trial on charges of sexually assaulting young girls apparently committed suicide Saturday morning in Southford Falls State Park, according to State Police and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Frederick R. Potts, 58, of Sioux Drive, was found dead in the park at 9:14 a.m.

"A citizen going through the park found the body and called 911," said Cyndy Chanaca, a DEP spokeswoman. She said Potts had hanged himself.

State police from Troop A in Southbury responded to the scene, and they turned the investigation over to the DEP Environmental Conservation police.

Potts was the husband of Oxford Town Clerk Margaret Potts.

Oxford Democratic Town Committee Chairman Peter Bunzl and Selectman David McKane expressed concern for the family, each describing Margaret Potts as "a wonderful woman."

"This is such a terrible thing for her to have to go through," said Bunzl, who called her "the best person I know... a wonderful worker and a good friend."

Frederick Potts was free on $150,000 bond pending an appearance next Monday in Milford Superior Court on charges of three counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

The charges stemmed from five alleged incidents involving two different girls over an extended period of time. The two girls, both minors, are in the care of the state Department of Children and Families.

Potts also faced a charge of risk of injury to a minor stemming from an alleged Aug. 30, 2008, incident at the Hemlock Hill Campground in Litchfield County.

He was free on $500 bond in that case, which was pending in Bantam Superior Court.

"The whole series of events is such an awful tragedy," said Selectman August Palmer. "My heart goes out to the children involved in this. I feel very sorry for them." ..Source.. by Michael P. Mayko, STAFF WRITER

OH- Inmate death not yet ruled on

3-5-2009 Ohio:

MOUNT VERNON — The death of Nicholas B. Parent at the Knox County Jail has not been ruled on, according to Dr. Jennifer Ogle, Knox County coroner.

“It has not been ruled on yet,” she said. “I did utilize the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. They came in with me. There are several things we are still waiting on. It does appear to be an apparent suicide.”

Ogle said it was still difficult to make a definitive statement because she is still waiting on test results.

“The autopsy is one, and toxicology is another,” she said. “There are several other things I’m not at liberty to talk about right now.”

Parent was found hanging from a makeshift noose made from a bed sheet. Ogle said this method typically takes several minutes to cause death.

GA- Man found hanged at Capitol office building

See Private Information: 3-4-2009 Georgia:

A Cobb County man wanted on eight felony child molestation charges apparently committed suicide in a Georgia Capitol office building Wednesday.

The body of state employee ______, 42, of Acworth was found by a custodian at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to John Bankhead, spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. _____ was found hanging in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building next to the Capitol.

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office tried to serve the warrant twice Tuesday night, said Nancy Bodiford of the sheriff’s department.

“They went to his residence, but he was not there,” said Sgt. Dana Pierce of the Cobb County Police Department. Police had executed a search warrant earlier Tuesday.

_____ was the assistant Web master for the House of Representatives Web site. He had been employed by the House since November 1999.

Capitol police have requested that the GBI investigate the apparent suicide. ..Source.. by KAY POWELL, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATED: Man found hanged at Capitol office building

A Cobb County man wanted on eight felony child molestation charges apparently committed suicide in a Georgia Capitol office building Wednesday.

The body of a 42-year-old state employee was found by a custodian at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to John Bankhead, spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The man was found hanging in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building next to the Capitol.

The Magistrate Court of Cobb County issued a criminal warrant for the man Tuesday. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not identify victims of sexual crimes. The AJC is withholding the state employee’s name to avoid identifying the victim.

He was charged with one count each of rape, statutory rape and incest, two counts of child molestation aggravated sodomy and three counts of child molestation. The felony offenses occurred between January 2001 and March 2009, according to the warrant.

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office tried to serve the warrant twice Tuesday night, said Nancy Bodiford of the sheriff’s department.

“They went to his residence, but he was not there,” said Sgt. Dana Pierce of the Cobb County Police Department. Police had executed a search warrant earlier Tuesday.

He had been employed by the House of Representatives since 1999.

Capitol police have requested that the GBI investigate the apparent suicide.

..Source..