Thursday, January 29, 2009

Collateral Damage

Photo: Ervin Antonio Lupoe (top left); his wife, Ana (top right); and their five children-- Brittney (top), twin girls Jaszmin and Jassely, and twin boys Benjamin and Christian.

"After a horrendous ordeal, my wife and I felt it better to end our lives ... and why leave our children in someone else's hands?" These are the shocking words of 40 year old Ervin Antonio Lupoe in what is believed to be a suicide note written before he decided to kill his wife, eight year old daughter, twin boys, twin girls, and then end his own life. This shocking crime scene was called the most grizzlie crime scene witnessed by case hardeed L.A. Homicide detectives in years.

This young upwardly mobile Black couple lived in a nice three-story house in the suburb of Los Angelas. Both the husband and his 39 year old wife worked as lab technicians at Kaiser-Permanentes West Los Angelas Medical Center until a few weeks ago,when both were fired from their jobs for reasons that are still "sketchy" at best.

Ervin Antonio Lupoe said that he and his wife were being investigated for "misrepresentation of our employment to an outside agency for the benefit of child care." He said that the initial interview was on December 19th. When he reported to work on December 23rd, it seems that he was allegedly told by a supervisor, "I don't know why you even bothered to come to work. You should've blown your brains out."

Now, a family of seven lies dead. Officials at Kaiser Permanentes have said that they "find it hard to believe that any manager or supervisor would have told Lupoe to take his life." Of course, they are going to say that... In fact, they better say that because I can see a nice lawsuit brewing if they didn't.

The point is, I can imagine how hard Christmas must have been for this family of seven with both individuals suddenly without employment... morgtage, car notes, and utility bills looming... health care cut off and no money to even think about Christmas gifts. I can imagine how hopeless this couple must have felt but, I can't imagine it being so hopeless that both the man and the woman made the horrifying decision to end their lives and take their childrens lives too so that they wouldn't be parentless and alone in the world.

I would like to say that this horrific murder-suicide is the collateral damage of an economy gone bad and that America should expect more incidents like this in the coming years as more families wind up without jobs and feeling desperate. I sincerely hope that I am wrong. I keep asking myself why did these two feel that hopeless? They were both college graduates and skilled individuals. You can't tell me that they couldn't have found employment in the future or had the economic outlook become that bleak to them?

There are questions that will never be answered... questions that only Mr. and Mrs. Lupoe know the answers to. I ask myself everyday if this is only the beginning of some really hard times and if I'm prepared to deal with them if this is?

23 comments:

Angel said...

I was really upset when I read about this. They were such a pretty family and in the report I read showed so lovely photos of the children.

Have things really got this bad? Do you really think there will be more stories like this?

oooh im the first to post!!

12kyle said...

at some point in all of our lives, we'll fall on hard times. its a given. that's when you should really lean on your faith. i've been down before...unemployed...tryna make things work. but i would never take myself out. houses, cars, clothes, etc can come and go. i would never do anything to harm myself or my fam. thanks for the post. it's a tough read but we do need to read stuff like this.

Anonymous said...

This broke my heart.

Anonymous said...

What is happening to us.. We as a people didn't used to commit suicide..We used to know how to deal with hard times.

Anonymous said...

This was so sad.

Anonymous said...

This upset me so much..I couldn't finish reading your post.

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful family,such a tragic loss of lives.

Anonymous said...

This was such a tragedy,I agree with 12Kyle..We need to heal our tragic psyche.

Anonymous said...

Man this was terrible...just inconceivable.

Anonymous said...

I am praying for their souls even though I don't know them.

Anonymous said...

That was just foul...

Anonymous said...

Man, that was just crazy...I can't believe that he and the wife decided to do something like this.

Anonymous said...

This is sooo sad...I can't even write anything else on this man.

Anonymous said...

They were such a nice looking family..and they looked like they were living the good life...(I saw the house on TV) I guess I couldn't even imagine losing all of that in one swipe...but damn, I wouldn't kill my wife and my kids..
Houses and Cars come and go.

Anonymous said...

Another American tragedy and you're right, this is collateral damage from a economy gone bad...

It's a damn shame.

♥ CG ♥ said...

Truly a sad situation. Like Kyle said, we all hit hard times at some point. To me, it only emphasizes the importance of faith and knowing that situations like this pass.

Anonymous said...

I will never understand why they did this.

I can't imagine what their families are going through planning the funeral. I can't..

A.Smith said...

I was also very upset when I read that article yesterday. This recession is creating so many issues and I do hope that other people get help and don't think this is the only way.

Strongblkwmn said...

Terrible, this is the first time i've allowed myself to read anything about this story. It's just too tragic for words.

SLC said...

A necessary post.....painful...but necessary.

Rich Fitzgerald said...

Man, I was reading this the other day when it went down and I was just like you, I couldn't fathom being that down and out over losing a job. It made me mad to even read it.

Standing Able said...

Like so many others, I cant imagine what the other members of that family must be going through. I am so torn up about this.

ShellyShell said...

I read this yesterday and tried to imagine what on earth they were thinking. Ok so you both lose your job. Apply for unemployment and do what you have to do for your family. I think everyone at some point has a low point in their life! Shyt I moved to DC with NO job in 2000! I found a place to live and paid my rent for 4 mos and prayed that I would get a job!

It just breaks my heart to think that this was the only way out for them! It's a shame! There was a lady in Mass whose home was in foreclosure she killed herself. She left behind a husband and son! My thought is is it REALLY that bad!




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