(Suffolk District Attorney's Office)
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255); military veterans and their loved ones can press 1 for the veterans crisis line. The Trevor Lifeline is available for LGBTQ youth and young adults at 1-866-4UTREVOR. The Samaritans Statewide Hotline can be reached at 1-877-870-HOPE (4673). Help is available to parents struggling through the emotional hardships of raising a family through the Parent Stress Line at 1-800-632-8188.
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A mother and her two children are dead after falling from the roof of a parking garage Christmas Day in what appears to be a double murder-suicide, the Suffolk District Attorney's Office said.
Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins said the mother's death is being investigated as a suicide. She said the two children fell first, followed by their mother, from the Renaissance Parking Garage on Northeastern University's campus around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
They have been identified as Erin Pascal, 40 of West Roxbury, and her children Allison and Andrew, aged 4 and 1. All three were taken to an area hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
"I want to extend my sincere condolences to this family," Rollins said during a Thursday afternoon press conference. "Yesterday the unspeakable happened, and now we are all struggling to make sense of the circumstances surrounding these deaths."
Rollins said the children's father was notified Wednesday.
The tragedy happened at the same garage where Boston College student Alexander Urtula jumped to his death earlier this year, ahead of his May graduation ceremony. His girlfriend, Inyoung You, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter for sending Urtula thousands of text messages encouraging him to kill himself.
In addition, another suicide occurred at the garage on December 9, meaning that a total of five deaths occurred at the university garage in a seven-month span.
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In a statement, Northeastern University, which owns the garage, said it is restricting access to the two top floors of the garage.
“The restricted access will continue until a permanent solution is implemented,” the statement said. “In addition, effective immediately, there will be 24-hour security staffing in place.”
Rollins said that one of her most experienced prosecutors has been assigned to the case, as well as a victim witness advocate who will provide resources and support to the grieving family.
"This is a horrible tragedy for this family on this Christmas Day," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh wrote in a tweet. "My prayers and deepest sympathies are with them."
In the wake of the tragedy, Rollins spoke about the importance of mental health.
"For a parent to come to a place in which they harm their children in this way indicates that their mental health struggles were severe, and in need of immediate support," Rollins said. "This Christmas Day tragedy demonstrates the urgency of addressing mental health, suicide, and homicide. We have to do more to address these significant public health issues that impact all of us in Suffolk County. My office is committed fully to working with our partners to do so."
Please see the resources listed at the top of this article for more information
"If you or someone you know are thinking about suicide, there are services available to help you," Rollins said. "Please utilize this help."
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