Mom's death in Staten Island fire ruled a suicide

[xynthee]

Source: AP

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It was theorized that he might have killed his family, set the blaze and cut his own throat. But an initial round of autopsies found that Ms. Jones and C.J. both had ingested some type of drug, according to two law enforcement officials.

Also, a badly damaged note with the words “am sorry” that was found in an another room was written by Ms. Jones.

It remained unclear whether it was a suicide note, but that discovery — combined with the initial drug evidence — led to suspicions she killed her children.

The pills did not cause their deaths. C.J. died from his neck wound and his death was ruled a homicide, said Ellen Borakove, spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office.

Read more: http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2010/07/moms_death_in_staten_island_fi.html

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I'm not convinced. Suicide by fire? It just seems so unlikely.

[secondwind]

1. sounds like suicide by smoke inhalation...........after a heavy dose of drugs?

[xynthee]

2. Maybe

I just can't imagine a mother doing this. I'd feel better if they'd all been murdered by someone else.

[mitchum]

8. "Medea"...

not that Tyler Perry franchise,
but the one by Euripides

[Moosepoop]

3. There was a thread on here the other day

when the story was that the authorities suspected the oldest son of murdering his mother and siblings, committing suicide by slashing his own throat, and also setting the fire near the front door as a means of keeping any responders out. I said then that it was too early to draw that conclusion, that the boy may have been a murder victim himself, and I was right.

Now they say the mother did it. I'm not quite ready to buy that story, either. Between the link in the OP and other news sources, the authorities now say that the fact that the mother died of smoke inhalation shows that she was alive when the fire started -- therefore it was suicide. WTF??? It proves the former, but not the latter.

They also say that the drug (they haven't said what drug) that was found in both the mother and oldest son's bodies indicate the murder/suicide theory -- even though it was not the cause of death for either of them. I'd sure like to know what drug, when present it two dead bodies, indicates murder/suicide.

They also say that they're going by the words "am sorry" on a badly damaged note found in the house, because it was in the mother's writing -- even though the note was so burned up by the fire that they have no context for those words as they can't read the ones surrounding it.

They also say that she must have started the fire -- while at the same time saying that they don't know how the fire was started.

No wonder this lady's sister is questioning the investigation, and asking for the FBI to take a look at it. I have to wonder if the conclusion that the mother did it (now that they can't pin it on the dead kid) isn't just easier than finding out who may have killed all of them.

[xynthee]

5. I'm with you, Moosepoop.

Somethin' jus' don't add up!

When they (PUBLICLY) played judge, jury and executioner with the 14-year-old kid a few minutes after it happened, I thought:

"Why would they so willingly release this much information on the flimsy firebug 'evidence' before the fire's even out??" It seemed counterintuitive to me. Perhaps I've simply been watching too much Forensic Files / Law & Order / New Detectives, but this just stinks to high heaven!!

When I heard the son was the prime suspect after within twelve hours of investigation, I instantly thought of this case: http://www.tv.com/forensic-files/cereal-killer/episode/1175375/summary.html

I hope they get a second or third (independent) opinion on the handwriting analysis. I'd like to exonerate both the mother and the teenager; it's much less disturbing to believe that someone not in their immediate family killed them all.

I'm not sure what Occam's Razor would tell us about this case; none of the possible explanations seem simple at all.

[xynthee]

6. Yes, I know I should "get a grip," so please don't suggest that as a course of action. n/t

[RobinA]

7. I'll Buy This

before the "kid slashed his own throat" angle they were peddling a week ago. THAT was just too much for me.

[DavidDvorkin]

4. A guy I knew online

Science fiction writer named F. Gwynplaine McIntyre, committed suicide by fire a few weeks ago. It does happen.