NY - Dr. Krystal Cascetta, 40, and baby dead in apparent murder/suicide - Westchester, Aug 2023

[Rolypolyoly]

Yes but even so, being a doctor, she would have access to injections to give baby a more peaceful death.

I hear you, but people suffering from ppp or even severe depression, are not usually rational. I'm hopeful that if she was in her right mind, she wouldn't have killed her baby at all.

 

[LaborDayRN]

DBM
Sorry @imstilla.grandma
I had quoted the wrong post.

 

[Deleted member 326769]

There’s also the possibility that she could have been recently diagnosed with something she felt that she couldn’t or didn’t want to live through. And not wanting her daughter to be left behind without her. She could have recently purchased that gun and not necessarily in NY state. Just some thoughts that haven’t been brought up. IMO it could also be a very bad case of PPD, we just don’t know. Either way, this is a horrific ending to what looks like a truly stellar doctor and an innocent little baby girl

 

[airportwoman]

This is completely my own speculation and not based on anything than my own opinion: perhaps the extra strain on the medical profession at large in the last few years has contributed to PPD sufferers feeling that it's better to spare the child future suffering? "I can't go on any more and I can't leave this child to face all the things I know the world can do", kind of a thing. I would be interested to know how many cases of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis manifest specifically in first responders or the military, or any other profession where the stakes are high.

I also wonder if she found out the baby had something wrong with it, curable or not, and went from there.

 

[lonetraveler]

I don’t care what anguish or mental illness she was experiencing. It might explain it but no way in hell does it excuse her taking a weapon to eliminate her child. She took away these precious branches of her parents family tree, they are grandparents no more. Intentionally. Why? To inflict pain to match her own?

Totally agree. I'm having a very difficult time feeling sympathy for the murderer of a precious child. She had help in the other bedroom.

 

[Schatz]

Totally agree. I'm having a very difficult time feeling sympathy for the murderer of a precious child. She had help in the other bedroom.

“There but for the grace of god go I.”

I know suicidal ideation, psychosis, etc is impossible to empathize with if you’ve never experienced it, but really - exercising compassion and learning about it, trying to understand it is IMO the best course of action here.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“There but for the grace of god go I.”

I know suicidal ideation, psychosis, etc is impossible to empathize with if you’ve never experienced it, but really - exercising compassion and learning about it, trying to understand it is IMO the best course of action here.

I know suicidal ideation too. For 55 years, since I was 12. I’m good now but for most of my life, all I wanted was a way out of the pain. I wrote that note, that one, about 15 years ago. My son found me in time. It was a miracle. But anyways, I’ll share something that happened when my kids were about 11, 9, 7 & 6. I was in therapy, trying to work all day and come home to take care of the kids. It seemed brutal at the time. I mentioned in to my therapist that I’d always wondered why mothers kill their children and I had finally understood, not wanting to leave children behind. Not that I had any thoughts of it and we went onto another topic. The next morning, she called me before work just to make sure everything was okay. She said she didn’t sleep all night because she started thinking about what I had said and got worried. It never came up again. Thinking back, I guess i had to be really in bad shape even consider justification for suicide/murder. Or trying to get in someone else’s headspace and be sympathetic. I’m embarrassed but it’s just us right? We can talk.

 

[Schatz]

I know suicidal ideation too. For 55 years, since I was 12. I’m good now but for most of my life, all I wanted was a way out of the pain. I wrote that note, that one, about 15 years ago. My son found me in time. It was a miracle. But anyways, I’ll share something that happened when my kids were about 11, 9, 7 & 6. I was in therapy, trying to work all day and come home to take care of the kids. It seemed brutal at the time. I mentioned in to my therapist that I’d always wondered why mothers kill their children and I had finally understood, not wanting to leave children behind. Not that I had any thoughts of it and we went onto another topic. The next morning, she called me before work just to make sure everything was okay. She said she didn’t sleep all night because she started thinking about what I had said and got worried. It never came up again. Thinking back, I guess i had to be really in bad shape even consider justification for suicide/murder. Or trying to get in someone else’s headspace and be sympathetic. I’m embarrassed but it’s just us right? We can talk.

I don’t think it’s anything to be embarrassed about. It’s very real for a lot of women, but generations above us, IMO, were ashamed of mental illness and thus many never sought treatment. Thankfully, if my own kids are any barometer, kids these days know *a lot* more about mental health, warning signs, etc.

 

[caradana]

PPD, and depression in general, are not logical. There’s no reasoning through it no matter how hare some wish for a rational reckoning. It’s not there, which is why compassion is so mission critical in these cases. PPD is: the sky is green.

 

[Arkay]

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/postpartum-depression/postpartum-depression-vs-postpartum-psychosis

I’ve been reading about what defines postpartum depression as opposed to postpartum psychosis.

It would appear to me that this tragedy indicates far more than the emptiness and suffering in PPD, and much more symptomatic of PPP.

In PPP, suicidal and homicidal thoughts are symptomatic for some women.

Dr. Cascetta may or may not have a history that would predispose her to this illness. We don’t know her.


I make no excuse for her to have killed her tiny little baby. I do see this as a potential reason, however.

A glittering career, a loving husband, an adorable newborn, (or even a colicky baby up all night), the respect of her peers and patients——so much to live for and yet in psychosis, who can know what went through her mind?


I ache for those tragic parents who broke down the door to behold this scene. Maybe no one knew she had a gun, we don’t yet know.



JMO

 

[airportwoman]

PPD is not abnormal, usually goes away on its own, and can usually be treated if it doesn't. It's when it does not respond to treatment, or transitions into psychosis, that things get really hairy.

 

[ohemgee.kay925]

This is completely my own speculation and not based on anything than my own opinion: perhaps the extra strain on the medical profession at large in the last few years has contributed to PPD sufferers feeling that it's better to spare the child future suffering? "I can't go on any more and I can't leave this child to face all the things I know the world can do", kind of a thing. I would be interested to know how many cases of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis manifest specifically in first responders or the military, or any other profession where the stakes are high.

@LunaInvidia, I agree with your speculation that the stress of her profession in addition to her PPD must have had a great impact on her mental health and the heartbreaking decisions made here. So very sad.

Yes but even so, being a doctor, she would have access to injections to give baby a more peaceful death.

@imstilla.grandma, my own opinion of this is that she may still have been overly conscious of how stealing and utilizing narcotics/medications would tarnish her professional image, even in the shadow of her horrendous actions.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

PPD is not abnormal, usually goes away on its own, and can usually be treated if it doesn't. It's when it does not respond to treatment, or transitions into psychosis, that things get really hairy.

Postpartum depression actually is abnormal. The baby blues are not abnormal and usually clear on its own, but once it becomes PPD, it's abnormal and should be treated. Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency.

 

[threesevenninefour]

Postpartum mental health condition likely a factor in murder-suicide of Dr. Krystal Cascetta, sources say

SOMERS, N.Y. -- There's new information in that tragic murder-suicide involving a Westchester doctor and her 4-month-old daughter.

We've learned the gun used was properly registered to the doctor's husband, and sources tell CBS2's Tony Aiello a postpartum mental health condition is likely a factor.

 

[MistyWaters]

Cops send strong message about husband of NY cancer doc Krystal Cascetta, who shot baby in murder-suicide

Officer Steven Nevel, who has been discussing the case with the media, laid the rumors to rest that heartbroken husband and father Tim Talty had any involvement in the deaths of wife Dr. Krystal Ca…

nypost.com

“The husband of a New York City oncologist who fatally shot her 4-month-old daughter before turning the gun on herself was absolutely not involved in the horrible tragedy despite rumors swirling on social media, a New York State Trooper insisted on Tuesday.

Steven Nevel, a public information officer, laid to rest any online rumors that heartbroken husband and father Tim Talty had any involvement in the deaths of his 40-year-old wife Dr. Krystal Cascetta and their baby.

“The trolls on social media are dragging the husband through the mud,” Nevel told Today.com. “But I can tell you 100% unequivocally, without a doubt, that he did not do this.” ……

……“It’s really easy for people to come up with conspiracy theories,” Nevel said, chastising those who were spreading the theories.

The officer added that Talty and Cascetta’s parents, who were in the home at the time of the shootings, have remained “beyond cooperative,” with police.

Nevel added that there were no new updates on the case and declined to comment on whether postpartum depression played a role in the murder-suicide….”

 

[threesevenninefour]

It’s crazy to me that some people online would rather believe a conspiracy theory about an innocent man who just lost his wife and only child than have to face the sad realization that PPD is a serious issue that many moms face and that it doesn’t discriminate based on race, education levels, or socioeconomic class. It can affect anybody.