Mass. Woman Kills Self Before Home Foreclosure

[DeSwiss]

Mass. woman kills self before home foreclosure

Associated Press
July 23, 2008


TAUNTON, Mass. - Police in Taunton, Mass., say a woman has killed herself after faxing a letter telling her mortgage company she would be dead by the time they foreclosed on her house.

Police say Carlene Balderrama also left a note telling her husband and son they should take any life insurance money from her death and use it to pay for the house.

The mortgage company notified authorities, who found the 53-year-old woman's body Tuesday.

Investigators in the city south of Boston say Balderrama used her husband's rifle to kill herself about 90 minutes before her home was to be sold at auction.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080723/ap_on_re_us/foreclosure_suicide_1;_ylt=Ap7zvzVVDNdfnmzP.nytqplv24cA">LINK

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DeSwiss

[Catherine Vincent]

1. How sad.

But I thought policies to payout when suicide is involved?

[truebrit71]

3. Typically only if it is within the first couple of years of being issued...

...after that, normal payout...

[SeattleGirl]

2. Oh my God. That is sad beyond measure.

:cry:

[bluestateguy]

4. And the sad thing is that the mortgage co. will probably proceed with the foreclosure

as if nothing had happened at all.

[Ian David]

9. But if someone kills themselves inside the house, it will be worth a lot less. n/t

[LSparkle]

5. So, so sad ... but I'm afraid this isn't going to be the last such story

Especially if people aren't being told the TRUTH about how many
others are suffering the same way ... People like Phil Gramm who
want us to believe "it's all in our mind" are making people like
this poor woman think foreclosure is still something to be ashamed
of, when it's happening more and more frequently. No house is
worth dying for ...

[SeattleGirl]

6. They just reported this story on the AP radio news break. n/t

[cliss]

7. This is incredibly sad.

If I could only have gotten in touch with this woman before she took such a drastic measure.

I would have told her, "you are better off WITHOUT this house; it's probably a sinking ship with payments which are more than the house is worth. Just walk away, or let the bank take it. Find something to rent. You have been duped by the mortgage industry which saw you as just a pawn, it was a big hoax.
Just walk away, and you will be better off in a few months I guarantee it.
In fact, if you start saving you could buy your old house back in a couple of years for less than you are currently paying for it.

If only.

[slackmaster]

8. Especially sad since most life insurance policies don't death benefits for suicides

I suspect there was a lot more going on with this woman than being upset about the foreclosure.

[Greyhound]

10. How very depressing. This poor woman probably had her whole identity tied up in that house

and when they took it she felt she had nothing left.

Folks, this is only the beginning, we have years of things getting worse to get through.

It's only stuff, and the more of us that reject the consumer role they thrust upon us, the faster we win. The only way to win this game is not to play.

[Nay]

11. Agreed. This poor lady. But it's true, you can't let your stuff own you.

And I also suspect she may have had other mental problems, too -- most ppl don't kill themselves when they lose their houses. When they lose a child, maybe, but not a house.