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Controversial suicide capsule applications suspended amid investigation

<p>Advocacy groups behind the suicide capsule have suspended the process of taking applications amid a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. </p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, they said that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the device, known as the Sarco, as of September 23 and applications were suspended after its first use. </p> <p>The Sarco capsule is designed to allow the person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die of suffocation in a few minutes. </p> <p>On September 23, an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the US Midwest, became the first person to use the device in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region. </p> <p>The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, said at the time that the woman's death was "peaceful, fast, and dignified", although those claims could not be independently verified. </p> <p>On the same day as the woman's death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal.</p> <p>Willet and several others were taken into custody following her death and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide.</p> <p>Willet is currently being held in pretrial detention, according to The Last Resort and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter-century ago. The others who were detained were released from custody. </p> <p>Exit International also clarified that their lawyers in Switzerland believed the use of the device is legal.</p> <p>“Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday.</p> <p>“The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.”</p> <p>Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws when it comes to assisted suicide, but the first use of the Sarco has prompted debate among lawmakers. </p> <p>Laws in the country permit assisted suicide, as long as the person takes their own life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive”. </p> <p><em>Image: Exit International</em></p> <p> </p>

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Arrests made after woman ends her life in "suicide pod"

<p>Police in Switzerland have made several arrests in connection with a woman's death in the Australian-made "suicide pod". </p> <p>The 'Sarco' capsule was used for the first time by a 64-year-old American woman who was “immune compromised” and had been in “severe pain” for “at least two years”. </p> <p>The pod is designed for the user to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber, with the person inside then supposed to fall asleep and die of suffocation in a few minutes.</p> <p>The Sarco machine (short for sarcophagus) was invented by Australian Dr Philip Nitschke, who has been nicknamed “Dr Death”, said the machine had performed exactly as it had been designed", with the woman's death occurring as "expected". </p> <p>“It looked exactly as we expected it to look. My guess is that she lost consciousness within two minutes and that she died after five minutes,” Dr Nitschke told Dutch media.</p> <p>“We saw sudden, small contractions and movements of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then.”</p> <p>Dr Nitschke claimed the woman “almost immediately” pressed the button, adding, “She didn’t say anything. She really wanted to die.”</p> <p>However, despite the woman's wishes to take her own life, Swiss police announced that several people were taken into custody over the woman's death and are now facing criminal charges, suspected of “inducement and aiding and abetting suicide.”</p> <p>The arrests took place despite the fact that Dr Nitschke had previously told AP that his organisation received advice from lawyers in Switzerland that the use of the Sarco would be legal in the country, where active euthanasia is banned but assisted dying has been legal for decades.</p> <p><em><strong>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Exit International </em></p>

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"I don't call that a life": Couple sign up to die in double suicide pod

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains sensitive content that some readers may find distressing. </strong></em></p> <p>A couple from the UK has signed up to be the first to die in a double suicide pod, invented by an Australian doctor, after 46 years of marriage.</p> <p>Peter and Christine Scott, from Suffolk in England’s east, have shared their plans to travel to Switzerland to die together after Ms Scott, a former nurse, was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia.</p> <p>After meeting at a jazz club, the pair married 46 years ago, and shared that they have opted out of potentially years of hospital treatment and the crippling costs of care which could eat into their life savings. </p> <p>“We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are in old age and it does not do nice things to you,” Mr Scott, 86, told<a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13825105/Former-RAF-engineer-nurse-wife-sign-British-couple-use-double-suicide-pod-Switzerland-dementia.html"> <em>The Daily Mail</em></a>. </p> <p>“The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris’s mental abilities in parallel to my own physical decline is horrific to me,” the former Royal Air Force pilot added. </p> <p>“Obviously I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life”.</p> <p>“I would not want to go on living without her,” he said of his 80-year-old wife. “I don’t want to go into care, to be lying in bed dribbling and incontinent – I don’t call that a life”.</p> <p>As English law does not allow for euthanasia, the couple have planned their trip to Switzerland for the procedure, where Ms Scott has planned out her final days with her husband. </p> <p>“I’d like to go walking with Peter in the Swiss Alps, by a river. I’d have a beautiful plate of fish for my last supper, and enjoy a great bottle of Merlot,” she said. </p> <p>“I’d make a playlist including <em>Wild Cat Blues</em> and <em>The Young Ones</em> by Cliff Richard and I’ve found a poem called <em>Miss Me But Let Me Go</em>, which sums up exactly how I feel”.</p> <p>The suicide pod, known as Sarco, can be turned on with a simple flick of a switch from inside the futuristic capsule that resembles a modern car.</p> <p>The machine was invented by Australian Dr Philip Nitschke, who has long been behind a number of initiatives to allow legal euthanasia in Australia.</p> <p>The 3D printed Sarco capsule ends the lives of those inside by pumping the pod with nitrogen which replaces the oxygen in the pod, which renders the occupants unconscious within about a minute without, its claimed, any panic or distress. </p> <p>With falling oxygen, the person eventually suffocates.</p> <p>Dr Nitschke said the machine is activated by a button from inside the pod. </p> <p>“The capsule for two people works exactly the same as the single Sarco but there is only one button so they will decide between them who will push it,” he told <em><a title="www.dailymail.co.uk" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13825105/Former-RAF-engineer-nurse-wife-sign-British-couple-use-double-suicide-pod-Switzerland-dementia.html">The Daily Mail</a></em>. </p> <p>“Then they’ll be able to hold each other”. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Courtesy of Exit International</em></p>

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New study links Ozempic and Wegovy to suicidal thoughts

<p>A new study has found a link between weight reduction drugs and reports of suicidal thoughts. </p> <p>Semaglutide, the drug sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, has been widely used for weight loss despite only being approved for the treatment of diabetes. </p> <p>An analysis of data on the adverse drug reactions database of the World Health Organisation found a disproportionate number of people reporting suicidal thoughts while using semaglutide. </p> <p>The research published in JAMA Network also found that the effect was "significant" compared to other diabetes medication, and that people with anxiety and depression were more likely to report suicidal thoughts when taking the drug. </p> <p>The researches have called for "urgent clarification" and larger studies around how semaglutide medications impact the brain. </p> <p>"The study raises key questions about whether additional precautions are needed when prescribing semaglutide," Trevor Steward, a neurobiology researcher from the University of Melbourne said. </p> <p>However, there are a few limitations with the study as there were a lack of information about the dosages, and did not adjust for things like alcohol and substance misuse and off-label use. </p> <p>While the study did not find a direct cause between suicidal thoughts and the use of semaglutide, it is important to raise concerns, especially for those who may want to use these drugs based on information they found on social media, and therefore do not fully understand the risks. </p> <p>The use of semaglutide for weight loss in Australia is considered 'off label', meaning that it has been prescribed for purposes outside of its approved use. </p> <p>The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) believes that these prescriptions have been driving shortages, which they are trying to address and believe will last until 2025. </p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p> <p> </p>

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Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. </em></strong></p> <p>Court papers have revealed the sinister reason behind why a grandmother allegedly killed her daughter-in-law before killing herself. </p> <p>Terminally ill ex-probation officer Kathleen Leigh, 65, fatally shot 45-year-old Marisa Galloway, who shares a child with Leigh’s son, Zachariah Reed, on a New York street before taking her own life. </p> <p>Now Ms Galloway’s grieving parents, Nancy and John, have filed an emergency court petition claiming Mr Reed has run off to his “multimillion-dollar home” in Chicago with their grandchild Lili under the pretext of “mourning” his mother’s death.</p> <p>He has also barred the Galloways from any contact, either in person or via technology, with the child.</p> <p>“Clearly, [Mr Reed’s] mother had a deliberate plan to kill Marisa in order to provide custody for her son,” the court papers charge, according to an exclusive report by the <em><a title="nypost.com" href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/18/us-news/killer-nyc-granny-carried-out-slay-suicide-to-give-son-full-custody-of-child-heartbreaking-suit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>. </p> <p>“Unfortunately, [Mr Reed] has demonstrated an absolute intention to further those same goals of his mother as he has refused to provide us with any access to Lili at all in almost 3 weeks.”</p> <p>According to legal papers filed on Friday, the grandparents, who live a 12 hour drive away in New Jersey, are asking a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to pass on Marisa’s parenting time, hashed out in a 2022 custody agreement with Mr Reed.</p> <p>They are also asking that Mr Reed be forced to live in the New York until Lili is 18 so that she can keep a close relationship with her grandparents and with her half-sister, Mariel, the 1-year-old daughter Marisa had with a sperm donor who currently lives with the grandparents. </p> <p>“While Marisa was always the best mother, we would love to be involved with all aspects of taking care of an infant, toddler, and ultimately the little girl that Lili currently is,” Nancy wrote.</p> <p>Nancy said she is “extremely uncomfortable” being forced to file the petition but worried Lili would become estranged from her mum’s side of the family if they didn’t intervene.</p> <p>The grandmother laid out the history of Marisa and Mr Reed’s “tumultuous relationship” since the pair split and their “contentious” custody battle while she also claimed the pair dated before Marisa became pregnant but said their relationship ended “driven by the interference of [Mr Reed’s] mother.”</p> <p>On the day of the heinous crime on July 26th 2024, Marisa was loading her car and had put Mariel in her seat with plans to visit her parents for a few days. </p> <p>She was approached by Leigh while she was putting something in the boot, and shot her once in the back of the head and again in the back before taking her own life.</p> <p>Before her heinous crime, Leigh scrawled a seven-page letter “For Police” describing how she felt Marisa was trying to alienate Lili from her dad and saying she suspected Marisa of abusing Lili, despite child services clearing Marisa in two probes launched by Mr Reed.</p> <p>“She took away the child’s mother in order to make her son happy … it’s shocking,” a law-enforcement source had told the <em>New York Post</em> of Leigh right after the alleged murder-suicide.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Manhattan Supreme Court</em></p>

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New details surrounding Emma Pattison’s prior arrest

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find confronting. </strong></em></p> <p>It is now known that Emma Pattison, the headmistress at a private school in the UK who police believe was shot dead by her husband, <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/disturbing-new-details-emerge-in-death-of-head-teacher-husband-and-daughter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made a distress call</a> to a family member just hours before she was discovered.  </p> <p>Further to that, new details have emerged that reveal that Mrs Pattison was arrested by Surrey police following a domestic row with her husband, George, seven years ago. </p> <p>Mr Pattison telephoned police one evening just prior to midnight, claiming that Mrs Pattison had slapped him around the face in their home. </p> <p>Only a short time later – two minutes or so – Mr Pattison then called the station back to ask the police officers not to come, saying that the matter was inconsequential and that he had overreacted. </p> <p>However, Surrey police decided to proceed with the home visit to investigate the complaint, and arrested Mrs Pattison on suspicion of common assault. </p> <p>Mrs Pattison was then questioned in the presence of a solicitor, and was subsequently released without charge. </p> <p>While a full investigation <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/headmistress-husband-and-daughter-found-dead-on-school-grounds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">into their deaths</a> has commenced, Surrey police are currently refusing to discuss Mrs Pattison’s arrest seven years ago in 2016, stating instead that autopsy results on the bodies of all three of the deceased are expected by the end of the week.</p> <p>Police have yet to disclose the official cause of death, but are confident no one else was involved in the "isolated" incident. </p> <p>Detectives confirmed a firearm registered to George, of which he had a license for, was found at the scene and they are treating the tragedy as a double murder and suicide.</p> <p>Detectives suspect George killed his wife Emma, 45, and little Lettie before taking his own life.</p> <p>Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, said, “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point."</p> <p><em>Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Lifeline:</strong> 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au</em></p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue:</strong> 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au</em></p> <p><em><strong>Headspace:</strong> 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au</em></p> <p><em>Image credits: epsomcollege.org.uk</em></p>

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Disturbing new details emerge in death of head teacher, husband and daughter

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find confronting. </strong></em></p> <p>A headmistress at a private school in the UK made a distress call to a family member just hours before she was found dead, a report has claimed. </p> <p>School principal Emma Pattison, the head teacher of private school Epsom College in Surrey, England, was <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/headmistress-husband-and-daughter-found-dead-on-school-grounds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> alongside her 39-year-old husband, George, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie on the school grounds earlier this week. </p> <p>As an investigation into their deaths has commenced, the BBC has reported that Emma made a frantic phone call to a relative with concerns about her partner. </p> <p>By the time the worried relative arrived at the house, which is surrounded by other properties occupied by college staff and is close to the prestigious school’s rifle range, all three were dead.</p> <p>Police have yet to disclose the official cause of their deaths, but are confident no one else was involved in the "isolated" incident. </p> <p>Detectives confirmed a firearm registered to George, of which he had a license for, was found at the scene and they are treating the tragedy as a double murder and suicide.</p> <p>Detectives suspect George killed his wife Emma, 45, and little Lettie before taking his own life.</p> <p>Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, said, “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point."</p> <p>“We understand the public concern and upset, and we will clarify what we can, when we can, while respecting the right to a level of privacy for the families of those who have lost their lives."</p> <p>The community is reeling from the tragedy, as devastated neighbours who knew the "lovely" family shared how "heartbroken" they are. </p> <p>One person said, “It is just shocking and unimaginable.”</p> <p>Chloe Rathbone, a nursery worker who looked after Lettie, told The Times, “I am utterly so heartbroken over this awful news."</p> <p>“They were such a lovely family and Lettie was perfect in every way, everything you could have wished for in a little girl.”</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au</em></strong></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / </em><em style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">epsomcollege.org.uk</em></p>

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Ellen devastated after death of beloved show's DJ

<p>Stephen "tWitch" Boss has died at the age of 40. </p> <p>The entertainer is most commonly known for his role as the DJ on the <em>Ellen DeGeneres Show</em>, where he has been a staple since 2014. </p> <p>His death was announced by his wife of nine years Allison Holker just days after marking their wedding anniversary, as she shared a touching statement about his lasting legacy.</p> <p>“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said in a statement received by The Post.</p> <p>“Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”</p> <p>Ellen DeGeneres was among the first to pay tribute to her friend and colleagues, sharing a photo of the two in an emotional embrace. </p> <p>She wrote, “I’m heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him." </p> <p>"Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children — Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”</p> <p>When Allison Holker discovered her husband has left home without his car, she reportedly ran frantically into an LAPD station, saying the behaviour was unlike him, according to law enforcement sources.</p> <p>Police later got a call about an incident at an LA hotel, where they found Boss.</p> <div id="indie-campaign-rHsIzpAmAj7xkA4llYlH-2" data-campaign-name="NCA ENTERTAINMENT newsletter" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="TSN-268" data-from="1640955600000" data-to="1677502800000"></div> <p>“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” Holker continued in her statement. </p> <p>“I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honour his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.</p> <p>“Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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Suicide rates reveal the silent suffering of Australia’s ageing men

<p>Men aged 85 and older have the highest suicide rates in Australia, but the tragedy has gone relatively unnoticed. This group is growing older, feeling alone and flying under the radar.</p> <p>The tragedy of suicide is recognised as a major public health issue. Yet what may come as a surprise to many is data <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/latest-release#intentional-self-harm-deaths-suicide-in-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing men over 85 have suicide rates more than three times the average rate.</p> <p>Public perception is that men – in particular, young men – have the highest suicide risk. While this is true for the net number of suicides, if we don’t consider age-standardised rates (which account for differences in age distribution across the population) we miss a crucial finding.</p> <p><strong>Adjusting for age</strong></p> <p>Men aged over 85 accounted for a relatively small proportion of all male suicides (3.1%) in 2020 (the latest data available). But the age-specific suicide rate was 36.2 deaths per 100,000 (up from 32.3 per 100,000 in 2019). For women aged over 85, this rate was much lower (6.2 per 100,000). The next highest rate was for men in both the 40-44 and 50-54 age bands (27.1 per 100,000).</p> <p>In 2020, the overall suicide rate was 12.1 per 100,000 people.</p> <p>But this issue is rarely addressed in public discourse or policy directives. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/2020-21#psychological-distress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing</a> released last month did not include data on people older than 85.</p> <p>This risk is <a href="https://theconversation.com/elderly-men-have-the-highest-suicide-rate-and-ageism-stops-us-from-doing-something-about-it-46923" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not new</a>, but little has changed to address it over the past decade. In light of COVID and what it has <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.679711/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed about ageism</a> and the value of older people in our society, it is crucial to explore these issues again.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><em><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477294/original/file-20220803-1926-uuu06d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="older man with head in hands" /></a></em><figcaption><em><span class="caption">All the key risk factors for suicide have become even more relevant due to COVID.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-man-covering-his-face-hands-701935606" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shutterstock</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Preventable deaths</strong></p> <p>It is startling that men who have shown resilience to survive to late life are at such risk of preventable death. Many factors contribute, including physical and material circumstances like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28511737/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frailty, chronic pain, bereavement</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23209090/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">financial troubles</a>. However, we cannot assume only external issues cause distress and lead to suicide.</p> <p>In fact, for older people, successful ageing is rarely defined purely by physical circumstances. Ageing well often implies flourishing despite hardship.</p> <p>The silent challenge among men aged over 85 who take their own lives is psychological and existential distress, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20438238/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reinforce feelings of loneliness and worthlessness</a>. Older men at risk of suicide may feel they are “no longer needed” or perceive themselves as “burdensome” to family and community.</p> <p>These beliefs can overlap with major life transitions, such as retirement, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31431103/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopping driving</a> or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21500012/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moving to residential care, where they are a minority</a>. Such stressful events can increase feelings of marginalisation, loss of independence and worthlessness, and also lead to social isolation.</p> <p><strong>Talking about it</strong></p> <p>A reluctance to express their feelings or be vulnerable has long been discussed as an important factor for men’s wellbeing, especially when they’re feeling low.</p> <p>Research suggests gender stereotypes and social norms linked to masculinity <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27664823/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce help-seeking behaviours</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2156869317725890" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can increase suicide risk</a>. Many ageing men hold restrictive and stoic beliefs about what it means to be a man. This may make them <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29019282/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less inclined to share</a> when they aren’t coping.</p> <p>Yet emerging research <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27473200/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenges the assumption</a> men don’t talk because they can’t. One reason men are not talking about their mental health struggles is because there’s <a href="https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/handle/10453/153516" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nowhere for them</a> to open up in a way they see as culturally and socially acceptable.</p> <p>Instead, older men are speaking through their actions.</p> <p>Suicide prevention and early intervention responses that are not tailored to the needs of older men are unlikely to be effective. We need to meet men where they are and listen to their quiet and absent voices by designing programs in partnership with them.</p> <p>This means better understanding men’s <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28871841/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barriers</a> to suicide interventions. These include a lack of trust in traditional services and an aversion to “formal” supports that frame emotional distress and suicidal behaviours as mental illness.</p> <p>It also means exploring, developing and funding new options that are acceptable, relevant and accessible, such as gendered support, peer-led programs, community-based informal support and programs combining exercise with mental health promotion.</p> <p>The objective is not only to develop more suitable suicide prevention for this specific group, but also to examine broader interactions between ageing, isolation and loneliness; <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-psychogeriatrics/article/covid19-the-implications-for-suicide-in-older-adults/9890D02E0DA3021FCFE66B9A29F2684E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all key risk factors</a> for suicide that have become even more relevant due to COVID.</p> <p><strong>More calls for help</strong></p> <p>Increased feelings of distress and loneliness produced by the pandemic can be measured by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-04/lifeline-records-highest-daily-calls-on-record/100350522" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased calls to services such as Lifeline</a>. And more persistent mental health problems are likely to present more slowly, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-41461-001.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over longer horizons</a>, and peak after the most acute phases of the pandemic.</p> <p>Older people have handled much of the burden of COVID, including unprecedented <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7295320/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrictions and ageist sentiments</a>. We must recognise these factors – growing old, being alone and feeling unheard - underpin increasing distress felt by men aged over 85, not only during the pandemic, but more generally.</p> <p>This group must be seen as a priority population for suicide prevention. We must start listening and work together to find solutions so older men can access the help they need in a way that suits them.</p> <hr /> <p><em>UNSW Ageing Futures Institute would like to acknowledge the research contribution of <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/about/our-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lifeline Research Foundation</a>’s Dr Anna Brooks (National Manager) and Dr Tara Hunt (Research and Engagement Manager).</em></p> <hr /> <p><strong><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, you can call these support services, 24 hours, 7 days:</em></strong></p> <ul> <li> <p><strong><em>Lifeline: 13 11 14</em></strong></p> </li> <li> <p><strong><em>Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467</em></strong></p> </li> <li> <p><strong><em>Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 (for people aged 5 to 25)</em></strong></p> </li> <li> <p><strong><em>MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978</em></strong></p> </li> <li> <p><strong><em>StandBy - Support After Suicide: 1300 727 24</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187925/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></strong></p> </li> </ul> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rhys-mantell-1350710" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Rhys Mantell</em></a><em>, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adrienne-withall-1366339" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrienne Withall</a>, Senior Research Fellow, School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/suicide-rates-reveal-the-silent-suffering-of-australias-ageing-men-187925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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Model dies after battle with mental illness

<p dir="ltr">Model and influencer Niece Waidhofer has died following a long battle with mental illness, something she was very vocal about to her 4.2 million followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 31-year-old was found dead in her home in Katy, outside of Houston, in May 2022 after a concerned family member raised the alarm. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Sadly, Niece took her own life after a long battle with mental health issues,” a family member told TMZ.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was very open with her followers about her struggles, even wanting to help followers who also suffered.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbht9HduDhj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbht9HduDhj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Niece Waidhofer (@niecewaidhofer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The influencer rose to fame in 2015 after starting the popular 'Roast Me' trend on Reddit and had fans worried after deleting almost all of her Instagram posts except for three. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her final posts include a selfie complimenting her new blonde hair, a video playing with her pet dog, and the engagement photo with her ex. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her Niece’s honour, the family will be creating a non-profit organisation for mental health awareness which looks to give grants into mental illness research. </p> <p dir="ltr">It will be called “Peace from Niece”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram/TikTok</em></p>

Caring

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Tributes flow for siblings named in suspected murder-suicide

<p dir="ltr">Tributes are flowing for two young siblings who died in a suspected double murder-suicide by their mother in Perth. </p> <p dir="ltr">​​Abiyah, 10, and Aiden Selvan, eight, were found dead in the back seat of a car at John Graham Reserve in Coogee, west of the city, on Monday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their heartbroken father had left for the US on Sunday and arrived back home in Perth on Wednesday after hearing the devastating news. </p> <p dir="ltr">Principal Bill Innes of Providence Christian College and students at the children’s school remembered the siblings with messages and flowers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can never prepare for something like this,” Principal Innes told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/wa/heartbreaking-tributes-flow-for-young-victims-abiyah-and-aiden-selvan-killed-in-suspected-coogee-murder-suicide-c-6081634" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re still numb, it’s still sinking in. To see those faces, it’s not easy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A bulletin board was offered to the students to write their messages to Abiyah and Aiden. </p> <p dir="ltr">Abiyah was described as being the “brightest light of the world” from one of her fellow classmates.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Remember I always love you. It pains me to know I will never see you smile, touch you, laugh with you, and even wave to you,” another of her friends wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Your secrets! Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone in honour of you. I will never forget you. See you in heaven,” another student wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">A message dedicated to Aiden simply read, “I will miss you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Tsaparah Tabernacle, the church the family attended was in a “state of shock” when news spread of the suspected double murder-suicide.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We don’t have an understanding of what’s going on, we are puzzled and completely shocked at this stage,” a church spokesman told <a href="https://thewest.com.au/news/crime/coogee-car-fire-neighbours-reveal-details-of-mum-children-killed-in-suspected-murder-suicide--c-6065373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The West Australian</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The homicide investigation continues.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

News

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Father’s chilling photo taken just days before murder-suicide

<p>Just days before a brutal attack on his two children, Perth dad Indika Gunathilaka shared a gushing music video about his daughter. </p><p>Police believe the 40-year-old man murdered his four-year-old daughter Lily and six-year-old son Kohan in their beds before taking his own life in the garage of their home.</p><p>After the family failed to attend a meeting with the kids' mother, the authorities were alerted and rushed to their home on Friday evening. </p><p>Since the tragedy, a music video Indika created and filmed for his daughter has emerged. </p><p>The video shows clips of the father and daughter laughing on the couch together, as well as images of Indika singing on a cliffside. </p><p>In the chilling footage, Mr Gunathilaka described Lily as a “bossy pants” and said all he wanted for her was “happiness”, even when he is “worm feed”.  </p><p>“I don’t love you more than your brother but it’s true what people say, there is something about a daughter that a father could never fray,” the dad sings.  </p><p>“One look from you is all I need to turn gloom into glee, remember that I loved you before our first meet.”</p><p>The video was filmed in 2019 and have racked up over 50,000 views since the devastating incident on Friday. </p><p>Just two days before the deaths, Indika shared a photo on Facebook of him with his two children, all holding hands as they look over the beach with their backs to the camera.</p><p>One close friend commented on the image, "Indika I know why you posted this picture to say you were leaving with the kids."</p><p>WA Police assistant commissioner Allan Adams said they have started their investigation into the incident, and do not believe any other person was involved. </p><p>“The exact cause of death and the circumstances will be thoroughly investigated and this will take some time but I tell you at this stage, we are treating this incident as a double murder suicide,” he said.</p><p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

News

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Sinead O’Connor shares emotional tributes after her son is found dead

<p>Sinead O'Connor's son has been found dead in Ireland just days after he was reported missing. </p> <p>Police said the missing case was closed after the body of 17-year-old Shane was found in the town of Bray, 20km south of Dublin. </p> <p>The singer shared a series of emotional tweets saying how her son "decided to end his earthly struggle" and urged others not to do the same. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” she said.</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">“May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby, I love you so much. Please be at peace.”</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">It is believed that Shane went missing after escaping from hospital while on suicide watch. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">In Sinead's series of tweets, she vowed to "never forgive" the authorities who were caring for Shane before his untimely death. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>She said, "I have now formally identified the remains of my son, Shane. May God forgive the Irish State for I never will."</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>"I’m going to take private time now to grieve my son. When I am ready I will be telling exactly how the Irish State in the ignorant, evil, self-serving, lying forms of Tusla and the HSE (Health Service Executive) enabled and facilitated his death."</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><span>Shane was under the care of child and family agency Tusla when he escaped, as Sinead claims the organisation has "too many kids dying on their </span>watch."</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Shane was one of four of Sinead's children, and his father was Irish musician Donal Lunny. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Finishing her tributes to her late son, Sinead dedicated the Bob Marley song <em>Ride Natty Ride</em> to Shane, adding "<span>This is for my Shaney. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us."</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter @OhSineady</em></p>

News

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Rap song linked to dip in suicide rates

<p><em>Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.</em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An American rap song has been more than just a hit on the charts, after new research found it had a direct link to more people reaching out for crisis support and a decrease in suicide-related deaths.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">1-800-273-8255</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a song by American rapper Logic, features the phone number for the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study, published in the </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2021-067726" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BMJ</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, found that within 34 days of the song’s release in April 2017, the 2017 MTV Music Video Awards and the 2018 Grammy Awards, the hotline received an increase of 9,915 calls - working out to be an increase of seven percent more than the expected number.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846511/logic1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1958b234800047b3926988b93a6e3e28" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Logic performing ‘1-800-273-8255’ at the VMAs in 2017. Image: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These three events generated intense public attention around the song, and within those periods of publicity, the number of suicides in the US decreased by 245.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">1-800-273-8255</span></em> <a rel="noopener" href="https://happymag.tv/logic-song-linked-decline-in-suicide-rates/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has been praised</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for its efforts to end the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, the researchers point out that their study is only observational and “can’t establish cause”. They also noted that it was unclear whether the song had any effects beyond the three events where it received peak attention, or whether using social media data captured how many people listened to the song.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/1-800-hip-hop-song-linked-to-a-reduction-in-suicides-in-the-us" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">they say</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> these findings “emphasise the potential population health benefits of working creatively and innovatively” with the music industry to share stories of people seeking help and depicting people coping during times of crisis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Logic has also been touched by the impact the song has had and the attention it’s brought to suicide prevention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We did it from a really warm place in our hearts to try to help people,” he told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNN</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “And the fact that it actually did, that blows my mind.”</span></p> <p><em>If you are experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/" target="_blank">lifeline.org.au</a> or <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines-and-websites" target="_blank">beyondblue.org.au</a>.</em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Mind

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Man who helped his father die finds out his fate

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide which may be distressing to some readers</em></strong>.</p> <p>After a lengthy battle against aggressive bowel cancer, in May 2021, Colin Stratton decided he'd had enough.</p> <p>Just a few days shy of his 81st birthday, the loving man asked his family to do something for him.</p> <p>Colin, along with his late wife, had been long term supporters of the voluntary euthanasia bill and members of Dying with Dignity.</p> <p>On May 24th, Colin visited his GP and asked for a suicide pill in order to die on his own terms.</p> <p>When the doctor hold him the paperwork would take up to two weeks, he informed his GP he would simply take matters into his own hands.</p> <p>Impaired from extensive chemotherapy, Colin was unable to complete the task of ending his life by himself.</p> <p>Instead, he asked his 54-year-old son Glenn to help him. Glenn initially refused.</p> <p>“Don’t make me make a bloody mess of it, I can’t do it by myself,” Colin told the middle of his three children.</p> <p>Glenn and his father exchanged "I love yous", and Glenn completed one last task for his father.</p> <p>“The psychological pressure on you must have been enormous,” Victorian Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said in a renewed hearing on Wednesday.</p> <p>“You finally pulled the trigger spontaneously out of love and respect for his wishes,” she said.</p> <p>Glenn explained to the court that his father had always done everything he could for his family, and in return they would've done anything for him.</p> <p>His family are all supportive of his actions, as they saw the impact Colin's illness had on the last years of his life.</p> <p>“They also understand how important it was for him to be able to end his life on his own terms when the pain and burden of illness became too great for him,” Justice Hollingworth said.</p> <p>“They describe your actions in helping your father achieve his wish as loving, courageous and selfless.”</p> <p>Glenn Stratton was initially charged with murder after confessing his actions to police, and he spent 46 days behind bars, causing him to miss his father's funeral.</p> <p>Glenn pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting his father's suicide, and Justice Hollingworth declared there would be no benefit to keeping him in jail.</p> <p>He was instead ordered to undergo mandatory counselling.</p> <p>Mr Stratton's family have said they hope voluntary euthanasia will become more widely available so other families don't have to go through the same thing.</p> <p><strong><em>If you or a member of your family need help in a crisis, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credit: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Brian Laundrie's cause of death finally released

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>An autopsy report released on Tuesday has finally revealed that Brian Laundrie, whose disappearance sparked a nationwide manhunt in September after his fiancee, Gabby Petito, went missing and was later found murdered, did in fact commit suicide.</p> <p>In confirming the autopsy results, attorney for the Laundrie family Steven Bertolino stated that “Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the manner of death was suicide.</p> <p>“Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families."</p> <p>Laundrie’s remains were found in a Florida nature preserve in late October, one month after 22-year-old Petito was found strangled to death on the edge of Wyoming’s Grand Teton national park, where the couple had been travelling together in a van.<br /><br />23-year-old Laundrie was named a person of interest in the case after he returned to his parents’ home in Florida alone in early September, then disappeared himself.</p> <p>The couple had been travelling across North America in a converted van and documenting their travels across social media platforms. The case gained national attention as authorities searched for both.<br />Petito’s remains were found in Wyoming on the 19th of September, with her death being ruled a homicide by strangulation. Laundrie’s remains were found in an area of the park that had previously been under water during searches of the 25,000-acre nature reserve in North Port, Florida.</p> <p>Laundrie was never charged in connection with Petito’s death, but a federal arrest warrant was issued after a grand jury indicted him for the unauthorised use of a debit card which Petito’s family say was hers.<br />FBI investigators have been searching for clues in belongings found near Laundrie’s body, including a water-damaged notebook, but are yet to release any statement on the progress of its investigation.</p>

News

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Strangers raise $250,000 for pregnant mother of triplets after husband's suicide

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>More than $250,000 has been raised for a devastated mum-to-be of triplets after her husband passed away in a self-harm incident involving a car.</p> <p>Matt and Ashleigh Conwell had been tightly budgeting to prepare for the arrival of their three babies before Matt took his own life on September 2nd.</p> <p>With the three children due just before Christmas, strangers took it upon themselves to help out the heartbroken family.</p> <p>Nicola Britton, GoFundMe's Australian senior regional manager, said the heartbreaking story resonated with members of the community, The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queenslanders-help-raise-250k-for-cricket-coachs-pregnant-widow/news-story/0f377cb7074c0cb57db6be05ea36aff0" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Courier Mail</a> reported. </p> <p>"The more close-knit a community, the quicker donations come in, and this one escalated very quickly due to the circumstances," she said.</p> <p>"Generosity hasn't slowed down this year, and that's really surprised me; at a time of such social and economic uncertainty, people are turning compassion into action and donating is their way to show they are there for someone."</p> <p>Devastated Ashleigh agreed to let her friend Alex Nesevski set up a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/ashleigh-amp-her-beautiful-babies" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">GoFundMe</a> page.</p> <p>"Ashleigh isn't the sort of person who would ask for help, and money can never replace the loss of her husband, but she knows she needs support," Mrs Nesevski previously told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8789691/Ashleigh-Conwell-GoFundMe-raises-250-000-husbands-sudden-suicide.html" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a>.</p> <p>She explained the costs of pregnancy, delivery and caring for triplets that would be "challenging for any couple" are especially difficult for a jobless single mother. </p> <p>"They were already stretching every dollar and budgeting tightly for the arrival of their unexpected but so very wanted family ... the financial hardship she now finds herself in is significant," she said.  </p> <p>"She has to see a specialist every two weeks because carrying three babies is a huge physical strain - growing bones and brains."</p> <p>Ashleigh's sister Emily said that her brother in law wasn't thinking clearly when he took his own life.</p> <p>"It was a snap decision, a moment of clouded judgement, and totally out of character," she said.  </p> <p>"This year's been tough for everyone, even the strongest people you thought could get through it ... it just shows suicide doesn't discriminate," she said.  </p> <p>"It wasn't meant to be this way".</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Robin Williams' heartbreaking final days revealed

<p>For many, Robin Williams' death by suicide came out of nowhere in 2014.</p> <p>The iconic comedian, 63, had appeared in new films and talk shows that showcased his wit.</p> <p>Reports around his death said that the suicide was a result of severe depression and due to the actor being diagnosed with a mild case of Parkinson's disease earlier in the year.</p> <p>An autopsy proved this to be untrue.</p> <p>His family learned that Williams had been suffering from a neurological disorder known as Lewy Body dementia that can cause hallucinations and dangerously acting out dreams while sleeping.</p> <p>A new documentary called <em>Robin's Wish</em> documents his final days as his condition worsened and had his family and loved ones fearing for the worst.</p> <p>“We had unknowingly been battling a deadly disease,” Williams’ widow Susan Schneider Williams, 56, says in the documentary.</p> <p>“A disease for which there is no cure. The devastation on Robin’s brain from Lewy bodies was one of the worst cases medical professionals have ever seen, yet throughout all of this his heart remained strong.”</p> <p>Family and friends confirm that Williams began to deteriorate two years before his death.</p> <p>“I would say a month into the shoot (of <em>Night at the Museum 3</em>), it was clear to me — it was clear to all of us — that something was going on with Robin,” director Shawn Levy says in the doco.</p> <p>“That’s an experience I’ve not spoken about publicly ever. We saw that Robin was struggling in a way that he hadn’t before to remember lines and to combine the right words with the performance.”</p> <p>His neighbour John Hepper explained his concern over William's quickly changing body.</p> <p>“His ribs were actually showing (through his T-shirt),” Hepper says in <em>Robin’s Wish</em>. “I grabbed his skin. ‘Robin, you’re really getting thin.’ He said, ‘Yeah, boss, I’ve gone to the doctor, but they don’t know what it is.’”</p> <p>William's widow was surprised at how quickly the paranoia was brought on.</p> <p>“The degree to which the paranoia came in was so drastic,” Susan says. “He’s going from room to room and literally watching me. He’s making a lot of phone calls and texting people and questioning … my loyalty to him.”</p> <p>The night of William's death, his neighbour Hepper spotted him outside.</p> <p>“Boss, I really need a hug,” he remembers Williams saying. “So, I gave him a hug, and he started to cry.” Hepper put his arm around the actor’s shoulder and spoke in depth with him for 15 minutes.</p> <p>“He talked about family, and what was going on in his life and some things I think he felt that I would keep private,” he says.</p> <p>The next morning, when Williams' assistant tried to enter his office and found the door locked, Susan knew he was gone.</p> <p>Williams left no note.</p> <p>Susan continues to cherish her husband's memory as a generous man and often reflects on what he would want his legacy to be.</p> <p>“For Robin, it was that he wanted to help people be less afraid,” she says.</p>

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Liz and Damian Hurley break their silence on Steve Bing's confirmed suicide

<p><span>Liz Hurley has shared a heartfelt message about her ex-partner, Steve Bing, who was found dead in Los Angeles at just 55-years-old.</span><br /><br /><span>Bing, who made his mark as a filmmaker, was best known for his work on movies including Kangaroo Jack, which he co-wrote, and for financing films including The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks.</span><br /><br /><span>He was the father of Hurley’s 18-year-old son Damien after the pair dated for 18 months in 2000 and 2001.</span><br /><br /><span>Sharing a gallery of pictures of them when they were a pair, she said she will remember her ex-partner as a “sweet, kind man”.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxghm9l1xU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxghm9l1xU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Elizabeth Hurley (@elizabethhurley1)</a> on Jun 23, 2020 at 3:03am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>“I am saddened beyond belief that my ex Steve is no longer with us. It is a terrible end,” she wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“Our time together was very happy and I’m posting these pictures because although we went through some tough times, it’s the good, wonderful memories of a sweet, kind man that matter.</span><br /><br /><span>“In the past year we had become close again. We last spoke on our son’s 18th birthday. This is devastating news and I thank everyone for their lovely messages.”</span><br /><br /><span>Their son Damian also shared his own message.</span><br /><br /><span>He posted a snap of a sunset on Instagram and thanked everyone for their messages during a “very strange and confusing time.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxlAsAF5Fl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBxlAsAF5Fl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Damian Hurley (@damianhurley1)</a> on Jun 23, 2020 at 3:43am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that has reached out following the devastating news,” it read.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’m trying to reply to as many of you as I can, but please know I will always remember your kindness.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is a very strange and confusing time and I’m immensely grateful to be surrounded by my phenomenal family and friends.”</span><br /><br /><span>Former US president Bill Clinton also took to social media to share a few words about his friend.</span><br /><br /><span>“I loved Steve Bing very much. He had a big heart, and he was willing to do anything he could for the people and causes he believed in,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“I will miss him and his enthusiasm more than I can say, and I hope he’s finally found peace.”</span><br /><br /><span>The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they were investigating the death of a man found in Century City.</span><br /><br /><span>The coroner said a man was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10 pm local time on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>Bing was destined for great things when he dropped out of Stanford at just 18, after inheriting a whopping US$600 million from his grandfather, Leo S Bing, who was a successful real estate developer.</span><br /><br /><span>His Hollywood career skyrocketed when he co-wrote the 2003 comedy Kangaroo Jack while reportedly investing $US80 million in the 2004 animated film The Polar Express.</span><br /><br /><span>Bing was the founder of Shangri-La Entertainment, an organisation which had interests in property, construction, entertainment and music.</span><br /><br /><span>His name is listed on the Giving Pledge website, a project launched in 2010 by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.</span><br /><br /><span>The pledge asks the super-rich to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.</span></p>

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Is it illegal to assist a suicide?

<p>In the days before Christmas, Western Australia became the second state in Australia to legalise voluntary assisted dying.</p> <p>More than 180 hours were spent debating the legislation in parliament, but under the final laws, terminally ill adults in pain and likely to have less than six months to live – or one year if they have a neurodegenerative condition – will be able to take a drug to end their lives if approved by two medical practitioners.</p> <p>The scheme is expected to be implemented across the state in about 18 months’ time.</p> <p>Under the proposed laws, to be eligible a person would have to be terminally ill with a condition that is causing ‘intolerable suffering’ and is likely to cause death within six months, or 12 months for a neurodegenerative condition.</p> <p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-05/wa-voluntary-euthanasia-law-passes-upper-house-vote/11771302">To access the regime, a person would have to make two verbal requests</a> and one written request and those written requests would have to be signed off by two doctors. Self-administration is the preferred method by which patients would facilitate their own deaths, but a patient can choose for a medical practitioner to administer the drug.</p> <p><strong>The laws in Western Australia and Victoria</strong></p> <p>The passing of the legislation means that Western Australia is the second state in Australia to make assisted dying lawful. In 2017, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/dying-with-dignity-laws-passed-in-victoria/">Victoria passed voluntary euthanasia laws</a>.</p> <p>While Victoria is widely recognised as the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalise euthanasia, <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/northern-territory-and-act-fight-to-legalise-euthanasia/">in fact, the Northern Territory introduced laws as far back as 1995.</a></p> <p>But only four people were able to use the laws because after only two years of being in force, thanks to a small technicality in Federal law which allows the Federal government to overturn laws passed by the territories (but not the States), the Federal Government exercised this right and effectively voided the NT laws.</p> <p>Since then, both the Northern Territory and the ACT have been fighting to take back control and determine their own legislation.</p> <p><strong>In New South Wales</strong></p> <p>Around the same time as voluntary euthanasia became legal in Victoria, it was also debated in the New South Wales Parliament, but with no significant progress towards legislation being enacted. Tasmania too, has debated euthanasia legislation and failed to pass it.</p> <p>South Australia and Queensland, both initiated parliamentary inquiries into assisted dying earlier this year.</p> <p>However now that Western Australia has also passed legislation, there is now more impetus for all Australian jurisdictions to follow suit.</p> <p>Despite the fact that many people do feel compassionately about helping terminally ill people to avoid prolonged, painful deaths, as they might put down a much loved family pet as an act of kindness in circumstances where the pain / injuries/ illness seemed intolerable, assisted dying is a highly controversial issue and as progresses in medical science find more and more ways to keep us alive, it becomes an increasingly complex issue.</p> <p>Although it is usually a crime to assist euthanasia and suicide, prosecutions Australia-wide have been rare.</p> <p><strong>Assisting a suicide in New South Wales</strong></p> <p>Currently in New South Wales, both euthanasia and physician assisted suicide are criminal offences.</p> <p>A person found guilty of engaging in active voluntary euthanasia can be prosecuted for murder under <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/legislation/crimes-act/murder/">section 18 of the Crimes Act 1900</a>, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.</p> <p>A person may additionally or alternatively be prosecuted for aiding a suicide, which is an offence under <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/criminal/legislation/crimes-act/aiding-etc-suicide/">section 31C of the Crimes Act 1900</a> carrying a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.</p> <p>To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant aided or abetted the suicide or attempted suicide of another person.</p> <p>Alternatively, a 5 year maximum penalty applies where the prosecution is able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that:</p> <p>1. The defendant incited or counselled another person to commit suicide, and</p> <p>2. The other person committed or attempted to commit suicide as a consequence.</p> <p>Around the world, assisted suicide is only currently legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and a handful of US States.</p> <p><em>Written by Sonia Hickey and Ugur Nedim. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-offence-of-assisting-a-suicide/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a></em></p>

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