NY - 8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway #3

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Its totally possible--- my late mil had a few of them-----both she and my late fil were suicidal and at one point I took painkillers out of the house b/c I was afraid they would od.
 
I realize I am resurrecting a very old thread here...but for some reason, I have been thinking a lot about this case lately. The more I think about it, the more I think that it was, indeed, a murder-suicide. I don't know why she made sure she killed her nieces, but I am guessing she had some real resentment (real or imagined) towards Warren. I do NOT believe he abused his daughters in any way.

Here's what swayed me:

1) After they left McDonald's. the kids were not strapped in. I don't quite understand why the older Hanse girls wouldn't have strapped themselves in, but they weren't.
2) She was not an alcoholic and she was not really even a drinker, as far as anyone knows. Sure, she could have hidden it, but when? She worked full time and then took care of kids, then took care of her husband, lather, rinse, repeat. I don't think she could have pulled it off for long. She was forcing herself to drink to get up the courage to do what she did.
3) She hung up on her brother and left the phone intentionally on the side of the road.
4) If she didn't intentionally kill the nieces, then something happened that morning at the campground. She likely had been thinking about it for awhile, but then decided THAT DAY was the day, and Kate, Alyson and Emma were just collateral damage.
Anyway, just wanted to say all of that!
 
StephanieH said:
I realize I am resurrecting a very old thread here...but for some reason, I have been thinking a lot about this case lately. The more I think about it, the more I think that it was, indeed, a murder-suicide. I don't know why she made sure she killed her nieces, but I am guessing she had some real resentment (real or imagined) towards Warren. I do NOT believe he abused his daughters in any way.

Here's what swayed me:

1) After they left McDonald's. the kids were not strapped in. I don't quite understand why the older Hanse girls wouldn't have strapped themselves in, but they weren't.
2) She was not an alcoholic and she was not really even a drinker, as far as anyone knows. Sure, she could have hidden it, but when? She worked full time and then took care of kids, then took care of her husband, lather, rinse, repeat. I don't think she could have pulled it off for long. She was forcing herself to drink to get up the courage to do what she did.
3) She hung up on her brother and left the phone intentionally on the side of the road.
4) If she didn't intentionally kill the nieces, then something happened that morning at the campground. She likely had been thinking about it for awhile, but then decided THAT DAY was the day, and Kate, Alyson and Emma were just collateral damage.
Anyway, just wanted to say all of that!
Click to expand...

I agree, it was so obvious to me, but even the nieces' family and the family of the over victims went with the alcoholic angle, why?
 
LetThemEatCake said:
I agree, it was so obvious to me, but even the nieces' family and the family of the over victims went with the alcoholic angle, why?
Click to expand...
Maybe it's "easier" for them to blame alcohol for the tragedy rather than Diane? I still am having a hard time wrapping my head around this happening at all!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
StephanieH said:
I realize I am resurrecting a very old thread here...but for some reason, I have been thinking a lot about this case lately. The more I think about it, the more I think that it was, indeed, a murder-suicide. I don't know why she made sure she killed her nieces, but I am guessing she had some real resentment (real or imagined) towards Warren. I do NOT believe he abused his daughters in any way.

Here's what swayed me:

1) After they left McDonald's. the kids were not strapped in. I don't quite understand why the older Hanse girls wouldn't have strapped themselves in, but they weren't.
2) She was not an alcoholic and she was not really even a drinker, as far as anyone knows. Sure, she could have hidden it, but when? She worked full time and then took care of kids, then took care of her husband, lather, rinse, repeat. I don't think she could have pulled it off for long. She was forcing herself to drink to get up the courage to do what she did.
3) She hung up on her brother and left the phone intentionally on the side of the road.
4) If she didn't intentionally kill the nieces, then something happened that morning at the campground. She likely had been thinking about it for awhile, but then decided THAT DAY was the day, and Kate, Alyson and Emma were just collateral damage.
Anyway, just wanted to say all of that!
Click to expand...

What do you mean, they weren't strapped in?
 
Damarna said:
IIRC only her son was in a car seat/seatbelt... Or it appeared that way. Looking for a direct link from MSM. Someone may beat me to that.

ETA- if Wikipedia is a decent source:
"(the children did not appear to have been in car seats, or even to have had*seatbelts*fastened)"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Taconic_State_Parkway_crash
Click to expand...
that's strange, weren't they old enough to strap themselves? Also, I wonder what her motive was. What could have happened for her to enact such revenge?
 
I really don't believe in murder-suicide at all.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G950F mit Tapatalk
 
Good point--- it was Warren's van that Diane used. If there were car seats they would have been in the van also and one for Diane's little girl and for her son. And the oldest niece presumably would have helped buckle in/ strap in her siblings and cousins. This is really a thinker--- I am repeating myself when I say "What film never made it to the final edit of the doc."
 
Damarna said:
IIRC only her son was in a car seat/seatbelt... Or it appeared that way. Looking for a direct link from MSM. Someone may beat me to that.

ETA- if Wikipedia is a decent source:
"(the children did not appear to have been in car seats, or even to have had*seatbelts*fastened)"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Taconic_State_Parkway_crash
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. I've never heard that info before. I think it would have been really emphasized if true. I'm going to look for more info.
 
MzOpinion8d said:
Hmmmm. I've never heard that info before. I think it would have been really emphasized if true. I'm going to look for more info.
Click to expand...
I was reading the police reports from the day of the accident. On page 7 of 15 of the linked documents, item #13, it states that 3 children were found inside the of the van (3rd row) including a 2 year old in a car seat. Also says something about the female driver being removed. 2 children unaccounted for.

So.... This leads me to believe the children (at least those 3) were restrained. Would they have not been thrown from the vehicle when it rolled... Considering all windows were blown out?

http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/policereport/schuler, diane_police_report.pdf

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
This case has always bothered me. I've never been able to delve too deeply. Just too many things hit close to home.

I think she definitely could have been a functional alcoholic.
I have a former close friend, now acquaintance who was for more than a decade.
Through 4 pregnancies, 3 healthy babies, one stillbirth and 12 years of parenting.
She worked more than full time, went camping, went to family events, babysat, drove, never got pulled over.
Nobody in her family or circle of friends was a drinker.

I also think a psychotic break is also a possibility.
I have witnessed how quickly the mental state can deteriorate.
Going from normal and on the phone... to being thirsty and drinking toilet cleaner because you don't realize what you are doing.
As an adult it was traumatizing to witness, I can only imagine being a child.
It wouldn't have had to happen before either. It's only happened once in my family, at age 50 or so.

I would prefer to blame alcohol for her actions if I was the family as well.
I wouldn't want to believe a psychotic break because what if there's a genetic predisposition?
This is a very common fear when a family member has serious psychological issues.

I wouldn't want to believe it was an intentional murder suicide because how could I trust someone capable of that?
It causes you to doubt your judgment in who you trust, when you trust the wrong person.

The alcohol angle would be the only one I could live with... and I'd still blame myself for not seeing it.
It's something you feel you have more control over, even if there is a genetic predisposition to addiction.
It's easier to simply not ever start... than it is to live with the knowledge that one day you could have a psychotic break.

Now, I will bow back out of this thread. Just too close to home. :wave:
 
MsFacetious said:
This case has always bothered me. I've never been able to delve too deeply. Just too many things hit close to home.

I think she definitely could have been a functional alcoholic.
I have a former close friend, now acquaintance who was for more than a decade.
Through 4 pregnancies, 3 healthy babies, one stillbirth and 12 years of parenting.
She worked more than full time, went camping, went to family events, babysat, drove, never got pulled over.
Nobody in her family or circle of friends was a drinker.

I also think a psychotic break is also a possibility.
I have witnessed how quickly the mental state can deteriorate.
Going from normal and on the phone... to being thirsty and drinking toilet cleaner because you don't realize what you are doing.
As an adult it was traumatizing to witness, I can only imagine being a child.
It wouldn't have had to happen before either. It's only happened once in my family, at age 50 or so.

I would prefer to blame alcohol for her actions if I was the family as well.
I wouldn't want to believe a psychotic break because what if there's a genetic predisposition?
This is a very common fear when a family member has serious psychological issues.

I wouldn't want to believe it was an intentional murder suicide because how could I trust someone capable of that?
It causes you to doubt your judgment in who you trust, when you trust the wrong person.

The alcohol angle would be the only one I could live with... and I'd still blame myself for not seeing it.
It's something you feel you have more control over, even if there is a genetic predisposition to addiction.
It's easier to simply not ever start... than it is to live with the knowledge that one day you could have a psychotic break.

Now, I will bow back out of this thread. Just too close to home. :wave:
Click to expand...
One of the most heartfelt posts I've read. You articulated so well what was in my mind. And I think many others as well IMO. Thank you!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
That's right----- IIRC the son was ejected from the car---owing to Jay's comment that HE said "I flew through the air like Superman"
 
MsF---- great post---I get it--- a functional alcoholic is very hard to spot--- they are not the "stumble-bum" hunched over a bar but people who work, do laundry, foodshop, etc. It explains enabling in many ways--- bills get paid, people hold jobs, the grass is cut---------everything is outwardly "OK"

I had a friend in college--- her mom was a functional alcoholic---taught third grade (one of cousins in fact). She was not terminated (this was 1985) but there were many, many complaints about her ----even my aunt who complains about nothing had something to say. I had seen this woman bombed by three p.m. on a school holiday.
 
Ex-husband..functional alcoholic....1961-2017 RIP

My older sister...functional alcoholic...66 yrs old.
They are both very well liked!
Neither had children.

And, I'm the lucky -sarcasm- one that was on the rec'vng end of their abuse...that no one else ever sees/saw.
 
yes they were all seatbelted in at the time of the accident. all witnesses and first responders state so on police report I saw
 
Interesting......................makes me wonder, ponder the little boy's statement as per Jay that he "flew thru the air like Superman". Unless I am taking it to literally..........but I would think he would say that the van flew thru the air....or WE flew thru the air...........sorry !!!! Just keeping the convo going !!!!!
 
has the doc been on again ? I would love a re-release with all the footage that wasn't used.
 
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