BURLINGTON, Vt. -
We've learned more information about the woman who doused herself in gasoline and then lit a match Monday. Police say she has a history of mental health issues.
We first told you about the tragic suicide last night, and today we wanted to find out more.
After learning more about yesterday's tragedy, it got us asking questions about those with mental illness. Could it have been prevented? Who's responsible for getting people with mental disabilities proper care? And what's the proper protocol? We've learned the burden is falling on the backs of police officers.
"Personally, no, I don't think it should be the police's responsibility," Detective Lieutenant Art Cyr said.
Regardless, every single day, multiple times each day, Burlington patrol officers are responding to calls involving people with mental illnesses. "They are a big drain on our resources," Cyr said.
Cyr says their partnership with the Howard Center does help. It's a private non-profit that helps the mentally ill. "We are so extremely busy, but without them it would be unmanageable," Cyr said.
But despite a lack of funding and training, officers are still the ones responding to these calls.
"It ranges from low level stuff, to suspicious activity or strange behaviors on the marketplace, all the way up to the situation that we had yesterday," Cyr added.
He's referring to the woman who police say had mental health issues and killed herself by dousing her body in gasoline and lighting a match.
"That persons intent was to hurt themselves, but their actions could have hurt other people," Cyr said.
The thing is, unless a person is showing signs that they'll be a danger to him or herself, or society, they can not be restrained, now this doesn't mean that they don't have a mental health issue, but if they're not seeking voluntary help, that means they're out on their own.
"They're ultimately in control of their own lives," Howard Center Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bob Bick said.
If clinical staff determine that there's imminent danger, they'll be hospitalized. But, "The state of mind, like everyone else is very fluid and how someone may feel at this moment in time can be different down the line," Bick said.
And that may be how Monday's tragic suicide slid through the cracks.
Staff at the Howard Center say they also work closely with doctors at the Fletcher Allen emergency room, to determine if a patient is in need of more help or supervision.
Howard Center: 24 Hour Crisis Services of Chittenden County 802-488-6400
First Call for Children and Families: 802-488-7777
Mental Health Mobile Crisis: 802-488-6400
Substance Abuse Crisis-Act 1: 802-488-6425
