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6 reasons fathers kill their families
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Yesterday morning, February 25th, a 53-year-old man fatally shot his wife and two daughters before killing himself in Miami, FL.
His 16-year-old son was able to escape and he called 911 as he ran. There are unconfirmed reports that there is another daughter away at college.
Pablo Amador taught piano to children and was seen as a helpful neighbor in his community. He wrote romantic and religious songs.
What makes this man--who to everyone in the community is a "good guy"--what makes this seemingly "normal" man kill almost his entire family and himself.
TruTV reports, "The Department of Justice statistics suggest that approximately one-third of intrafamilial killings are done by women, and that more than 50 percent of murders of children by a parent are done by the mother. Nevertheless, when it comes to wiping out an entire family, fathers lead the pack, with adolescent sons next on the list."
They give examples of fathers who kill and why. Some reasons are:
1. Debt
2. Mentally ill/suicidal/psychotic
3. Illness
4. Possessiveness/entitlement/ownership
5. History of abuse in the family that goes overboard
6. Seeing deaths as necessary sacrifices
No matter what the reasons, onlookers are usually shocked. On occasion, people will remark that they thought there was something fishy going on, but that doesn't seem the case in the Miami killings.
How can we stop it? Some experts say we can't. There are no easy answers; but here are a few ideas.
1. Know your neighbors. If you see signs of distress do something about it. That doesn't mean to call the police every time someone has a plain old argument, but pay attention.
2. Look for behavioral changes. If a normally jovial guy suddenly becomes depressed, or a mild guy becomes a bellowing neighbor, it doesn't mean he's going to kill his family. But if you know him, ask him how he's doing.
It's not much, but maybe it will be enough to help a family.
The conversation continues with you.
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