Woman Chooses Death Over Foreclosure

Mass. Wife Faxes Suicide Letter To Mortgage Company, Then Fatally Shoots Herself

(AP)  A 53-year-old wife and mother fatally shot herself shortly after faxing a letter to her mortgage company saying that by the time they foreclosed on her house that day, she would be dead.

Police said that Carlene Balderrama used her husband's high-powered rifle to kill herself Tuesday afternoon, shortly after faxing the letter at 2:30 p.m.

The mortgage company called police, who found Balderrama's body at 3:30 p.m. The auction was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and interested buyers arrived at the property in Taunton, about 35 miles south of Boston, while Balderrama's body was still inside, according to Taunton police chief Raymond O'Berg.

Police did not immediately release the name of the mortgage company. O'Berg said Balderrama's fax read, in part, "By the time you foreclose on my house I'll be dead."

O'Berg also said a suicide note found next to Balderrama told her husband, John, and 24-year-old son to "take the (life) insurance money and pay for the house."

Joe Whitney, who works with Balderrama's husband, a plumber, said that Balderrama handled the bills and her husband didn't know about the foreclosure.

"John didn't even know about it, that's the surprise," Whitney told The Boston Globe. "It's just one of those awful, awful tragic events."

[mandylou4u]

I hope people have gotten the clue that you really don''t have to keep up with the Jones''. I hope her family can get through this, they will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[zen55]

If this is not a sign of the times, I don''t know what is. This is a true wake up call to those who say there''s nothing go on. A true American Tragedy. My prayers to the husband and son.

[oneilr2192]

What makes this a tragedy, is the fact that her life insurance policy is null in the event that her death is ruled a suicide.

..there will be no money to pay for the house.

[oneilr2192]

What makes this a tragedy, is the fact that her life insurance policy is null in the event that her death is ruled a suicide.

..there will be no money to pay for the house.

[minnick8-2009]

I gave up my lovely home when I got divorced back in 1979. I couldn''t keep up with the mortgage payments. It felt awful, but I did learn there is life after a house. Five years ago, I moved out of my Post WWII house to let my daughter and her family live in it. Once again, I learned there is life after a house. A lot of people are apartment dwellers and they are no less people than home owners.

The stupid part about the story above and the woman who sacrificed herself because she couldn''t keep up with the mortgage payments is that insurance doesn''t cover death by suicide.

[chatarpatar]

THANK YOU BUSH.

[l8c6]

I just had this conversation on the bus today to work, that is, there are probable suicides that we are not hearing about related to the financial devastation that is hitting some people. Now it''s in the news. There likely have been others and will be more to come. No apologies from the sociopaths who played the system to the peril of the citizens of this country.

[berniepeders]

I''m sure I''m just dreaming, but I think that insurance companies should HAVE to pay, regardless of the cause of death. It is a LIFE insurance policy, right? They''ll pay if the life ends for a multitude of other reasons, right? What''s the difference whether it''s suicide or not, the life that was insured still ended, and they are insuring the client against that event. I say they should pay up, suicide or not. But I know they are too big and generate too much money for anyone to force them to do something like that.
Peace

[jericho1337]

Life insurance policies vary but in general they have a suicide exclusion lasting two years, after which the policy would pay in the event of suicide.

My condolences to the family and loved ones.

[ronbo888]

im sure the foreclosure was the last straw.she must have had other issues in that her husband didnt know they were in foreclosure.she was keeping that in .its a shame
because no matter how bad it gets it to shall pass.god have mercy on this woman.

[msay3]

This is so sad! My heart goes out to the family and my prayers are with the poor woman....It truly is a black day in America when this sort of thing happens as a result of the troubling times we are going through....

[aggiekat2004]

Thanks to Bush AND Clinton. This all started with Clinton.

Absolutely tragic.

I used to work in a building with a mortgage servicing company, and we had weekly bomb scares from their clients.

I''m hoping that the person who said there''s a two-year waiting period is correct. The life insurance company should pay. This is so sad.

[thcarson-2009]

THANK YOU BUSH.


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Posted by ChatarPatar

yeah, it''s all Bush''s fault someone got something they couldn''t afford, I feel for the family but at least communicate with your spouse so they know what the heck is going on with the family finances.

[asdiciacco]

1st-this is the dumbest story i have ever heard. I feel bad for the husband and son for having a stupid and selfish mother and son. As others have recognized, insurance co. dont pay on suicides. Furthermore if it was her intention to turn others off from bidding on the house because someone killed herself in it - think about the family she left behing - I''m sure even if they could pay off the house, they would leave imediately... I dont know about you, but I wouldnt want to live in a house my mother or wife blew her brains out in. Smarten up people and stop blaiming the system - the system is broken and stupid people dont think before they sign onto mortgages they CANT AFFORD. Do some homework, and take responsability for your own actions - if she spoke to her family and explained they could not afford the house anymore, they could have sold, downsized and still been a family. Is it the credit card company;s fault becuase someone maxes out all their credit cards and cant even pay the interest - common - enough with the god *** liberals - take responsability for your own actions people. Blame yourself first! My sincerest condolances to the husband and son. PS - Husband - maybe you should involve yourself in the finances a bit more.

[terimg]

I feel so bad for her family....I know people losing their family homes that they have lived in over 25 years or longer. Not because they got theirselves into a mortgage they couldn''t afford, but because of payrolls cuts and higher cost of living, health issues but no health insurance. This is a horrible story and I''m sure it''s not the only one of it''s kind out there.

[irliberal]

Yet one more death at the hands of the republicans. How much more blood before you''re satisifed, neocons?

[stn_sage]

...Is it the credit card company;s fault becuase someone maxes out all their credit cards and cant even pay the interest - common - enough with the god *** liberals - take responsability for your own actions people. Blame yourself first!
Posted by asdiciacco at 05:35 PM : Jul 23, 2008
----------------------------------------------
1. How do you know she''s a liberal?! If she is, many if not most, don''t believe in having firearms in their houses!

2. I''d guess she was an evangelical, Conservative from the facts she possessed a gun, she was fiscally irresponsible, and in the end, versus talking the situation out with her family and trying to come up with a solution, she took EXTREME action to end her own unhappiness!

3. This is a sad story. It IS too bad things turned out this way. My condolences to family members.

[dowjones20k]

These kind of reports really makes one wonder as to why or how folks snap ...

She could have just as well gone to a bank and shot a bunch of innocent people ...

Obviously there were more issues than the reporter was able to disclose .. if her husband was unaware of the finacial crisis ... wonder how many other creditors were calling ...

Thank goodness she only took her own life ...

Sad Sad ...

[cdfoxtrot1]

It has nothing to do with troubling times...this is a Godless, selfish woman who can only put value on money and material things, and could care less about her husband and child.

Posted by DaVicar2

How do you know this was a "Godless" woman? And who are you to judge??? This is a terrible tragedy and anyone with a shred of decency should leave it at that and not make gratuitous comments.

[nurse70-2009]

HEY ASDICIACCO WHO IS STUPID ? WHY DON''T YOU INVEST IN SPELL CHECK BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE TOO STUPID TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH ! THIS IS SUCH A HORRIBLE TIME FOR SO MANY SUFFERING AND FACED WITH FORECLOSURE BECAUSE OF JOB LOSS,ILLNESS,INFLATION, OR ANY OTHER REASON. THOSE WHO TRIVIALIZE THE CURRENT ECONOMY ARE IN THE DARK AND SHOULD MAYBE RESEARCH JUST HOW MOST OF AMERICA IS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET . TO THE FAMILY OF THIS WOMAN ,MY EMPATHY IS WITH YOU. TO THE VICTIM , IT IS SO SAD THAT YOU FELT THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS TO KILL YOURSELF . HOW LONELY AND AFRAID YOU MUST HAVE FELT. GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILY AND ALL THE OTHER FAMILIES FACED WITH SIMILIAR SITUATIONS .

[dowjones20k]

How do you know she''''s a liberal?! If she is, many if not most, don''''t believe in having firearms in their houses!

Posted by stn_sage

Well .. since her husband is a plumber chances are he''s in a union ... and they live in MA so the leap to figuring her to be a liberal is not too hard ..

As for your assumption that liberals dont believe in owning guns ... I know hundreds of liberals right here in MA that are avid hunters and gun owners .. so I dont think your assumption is even close ...

It makes no difference what her political affiliation is .. she snapped and took her own life over mistakes she made .. happens all the time and for alot less ..

Actually, she was not a strong person .. she was very selfish and only thought of her own desires and pity and could not handle the consequences of her husband finding out she possiblt mismanaged the money ....

Sad but thats life .... ot NOT !!!

[sandycat2]

This is a very sad story. Apparently the woman could not tell her husband they were in financial trouble. It would have caused pain to tell him but telling him would have been better than killing herself. I feel very sorry for her family. They have to live with the aftermath.

[cdfoxtrot1]

Blah, blah, blah. Note to stupid liberal person - how long do you think it would take for life insurance to become unaffordable because of increased premiums to pay off all those nuts that take out a million dollar policy and the next day jump off a bridge just so their family can live big time?

Posted by ritewingman


You obviously don''t know much about life insurance. If you take out a policy, suicide is typically excluded for either one or two years after the policy is created. And it takes a while to get it up and running, given all the paperwork and, for large amounts, health checks that are required. I''m guessing it''s quite unusual for someone to plan their suicide 2 years in advance.

[biddys]

There is and have been suicides everyday for years, for many reasons, not just foreclosure. This is a story that appeals to the news people because of high foreclosure rates that make news daily. Any suicide is sad, and it makes one feel better to have something or someone to blame for person''s decent into a depression that drives them to take their life. Obviously this woman had more than she could deal with, number one being her husband was totally unaware of the impending foreclosure, which leads me to beleive there was more going on her life than the news article reports. Sad that she felt she couldn''t share her feelings of dispair. Spouses can be forgiving, and life can go on after a disclosure to one''s spouse. So ladies that are out there reading this and have outstanding debts that husbands don''t know about, spill the beans. If you are afraid of his reaction then have a friend standing by. The hole can only get deeper.
J

[ubrew12]

DaVicar2 said: "...this is a Godless, selfish woman who can only put value on money and material things, and could care less about her husband and child."

Sometimes, they call it a tragedy because the events seem fated and unalterable. A house is often a home to a wife/mother, impossible to separate from her emotional health. She should have taken another path, but that''s easy to say after the fact of all of us.

[cdfoxtrot1]

Here is how I know:

Someone who fears, loves, and trusts God does not take his gift of life lightly, and certainly doesnt place its value below that of house, or a few outstanding bills.
Someone who fears, loves, and trusts God knows that Gods plan for their life is perfect, compared to their own plan.
Someone who fears, loves, and trusts God looks forward to each new day.

THATS HOW I KNOW

Posted by DaVicar2

Are you on some kind of medication??? This is not how rational, science-based people plan their day.

[ubrew12]

DaVicar2 said: "At least we havent lost our zest for all things material! "
You live in a cave? Say hi to OBL for me.

[libsluv2spit]

Are you on some kind of medication??? This is not how rational, science-based people plan their day.




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Posted by cdfoxtrot1 at 06:07 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse


**********

and how do "science-based" people plan thier day??

[six-six-seis]

Posted by DaVicar2,

maybe JayZus wanted her home before the spaceship get here huh?

[libsluv2spit]

the value of this woman''s life is 4 walls and a garden..

TRAGIC!

[toolmangler-2009]

im sure the foreclosure was the last straw.she must have had other issues in that her husband didnt know they were in foreclosure.she was keeping that in .its a shame
because no matter how bad it gets it to shall pass.god have mercy on this woman.

Posted by ronbo888 at 05:23 PM : Jul 23, 2008


A personal aquaintance of mine was days away from suicide and nobody had any idea, It turns out that a chemical imbalance of the metabolism was to blame. It took three weeks of Institutionalization and careful monitoring of the systems balance before a treatment could be started. It took a year of careful chemical manipulation before my aquaintance was able to resume a normal life. Before you throw stones at this poor woman you should consider the possibility that she could not stop herself ecause she saw her suicide as one way to provide (money) for her family. A mothers love is hard to fathom sometimes. Think on it.

[libsluv2spit]

maybe JayZus wanted her home before the spaceship get here huh?


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Posted by six-six-seis at 06:14 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse


**************

I am sorry to say this if ''Jeyzus'' was in this woman''s mind...she would had placed more value on her life..and WOULD STILL BE ALIVE..

[six-six-seis]

am sorry to say this if ''''Jeyzus'''' was in this woman''''s mind...she would had placed more value on her life..and WOULD STILL BE ALIVE..



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Posted by libsluv2spit ...

what a copout, you dont even know that,

[toolmangler-2009]

maybe JayZus wanted her home before the spaceship get here huh?
Posted by six-six-seis at 06:14 PM : Jul 23, 2008



Since it is clear that you are sitting on your brains, please keep your mouth shut and cross your legs because your breath stinks.

[cdfoxtrot1]

and how do "science-based" people plan thier day??

Posted by libsluv2spit

For some people, suicide may be a rational response to a situation. "Science-based" people consider FACTS, and behave accordingly. As someone else said, this lady may have assessed there was no way out of the situation and to provide for her family, she made the ultimate sacrifice. The same people who condemn this lady for making the ultimate sacrifice are, no doubt, the same people who cheerlead the illegal war and all the idiots who sign up for slaughter over there.

[cbsblogger]

This is a real shame. But it didn''t have to be that way if our country would have been run for the benefit of our US citizens instead of the elite.

Instead of helping Americans we borrow billions from China to send to Israel. We waste a trillion dollars of our country''s wealth and lives in Iraq so that Bush and Cheney''s corrupt contractor buddies could get rich. The rich incompetent hucksters on Wall St are bailed out with our tax money thanks to their huckster friends in the Federal Reserve. Average Americans get nothing but their jobs outsourced to China.

[libsluv2spit]

what a copout, you dont even know that,



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Posted by six-six-seis at 06:19 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse

its a logical answer to your rather illogical post..

"maybe JayZus wanted her home before the spaceship get here huh?


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Posted by six-six-seis at 06:14 PM : Jul 23, 2008
report abuse"

.......like you said..you dont even know that btw..come on with Jeyzus you would have no reason to continue on as mr 666..you need each other..

This is very sad. And you little twits out ther who think this is funny, and your infantile little word games, and your crappy outlook on life out there, you need to get a life. Because, she found herself in a place that she didn''t think she could get out of...

As for the insurance, she most likely is covered...

What a sad day for this family...and the world.

So, keep your little brain *** out of this...

[whitemale08]

Just thank George Bush before you go, Repulicans believe that "defecits don''t matter" as long as I get elected to cut taxes for my rich buddies on Wall Street.

[six-six-seis]

Posted by libsluv2spit...

666 is a number nothing more nothing less,
i use it to annoy the jayzus intolerant followers on here, who never cease to amaze me,
you name the post and they will be on here
in force, amking a mockery of logic.

[libsluv2spit]

For some people, suicide may be a rational response to a situation. "Science-based" people consider FACTS, and behave accordingly. As someone else said, this lady may have assessed there was no way out of the situation and to provide for her family, she made the ultimate sacrifice. The same people who condemn this lady for making the ultimate sacrifice are, no doubt, the same people who cheerlead the illegal war and all the idiots who sign up for slaughter over there.





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Posted by cdfoxtrot1 at 06:21 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse


********************

?????????????????????????????????!!!

suicide is a rational response to loosing a house???

so you are telling me that you would place same face value of your house to your life?????????

no way out?? there is a way out..move to a smaller house..an apartment..move back to mommy..

so when your car is getting repossed..do you kill your son??

that is the topic here..PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY BELIEF..PLACES LITTLE VALUE ON LIFE...

[stevesinca]

One unfortunate aspect is that most insurance does not cover suicides.

[six-six-seis]

like i say mr 666..you need jeyzus a lot more than jeyzus needs you...


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Posted by libsluv2spit....

wow now i need saving?

hows this then.

Dear Lord Save me from your followers.

amen..

[summarex]

She should have waited a while and taken out the government criminals in uniforms who show up to evict people whose homes are forclosed on.

[stn_sage]

dowjones20k:

Well .. since her husband is a plumber chances are he''''s in a union ... and they live in MA so the leap to figuring her to be a liberal is not too hard ..

As for your assumption that liberals dont believe in owning guns ... I know hundreds of liberals right here in MA that are avid hunters and gun owners .. so I dont think your assumption is even close ...

It makes no difference what her political affiliation is .. she snapped and took her own life over mistakes she made .. happens all the time and for alot less ..

Posted by dowjones20k at 05:55 PM : Jul 23, 2008
---------------------------------------------------
1. Where I live the plumbers tend to be republicans and non-union, go figure,huh?

2. I know ''MA'' is NOT all inhabited by Democrats!

3. I was thinking of real lefty-left type liberals!
Those who would have NOTHING to do with a gun! But, I didn''t make that as clear as I needed to, so now I have.

4. My overall point in the first post, was to get the other poster to think about whether or not it is really necessary to try to politicize her death!?

5. I agree with you that it isn''t necessary to politicize the women''s death!

[libsluv2spit]

like i say mr 666..you need jeyzus a lot more than jeyzus needs you...


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Posted by libsluv2spit....

wow now i need saving?

hows this then.

Dear Lord Save me from your followers.

amen..


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Posted by six-six-seis at 06:32 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse


************
without jeyzus you would have nothing to bit*ch and moan about..you get a hardon attacking religion because ..humm guilt? a prayer for a million dollars did not happen? too much ozzie osborne music??

without your constant religious attacks you become nothing more than a bald headed whiner wearing a megadeath t-shirt..blaming jeyzus for all the ills in your life..

[element51]

asdiciacco....You make a number of assumptions in your post. There are lots of folks out there who have been in their homes for years and because of job loss or illness can''t keep up with the payments. Also, some folks just don''t deal well with financial adversity. They get in a hole and don''t know what to do and dispair sets in followed by severe depression. Under these conditions some people feel there is no other way to deal with reality. Many of us have gone through tough times and have been strong enough to come out of it but everyone is not that strong. Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes. Finally, I find your comment about ****** liberals very offensive. You imply that only strong republicans are responsible and that everyone else is weak. What a load of craap. I can assure you that there are pleanty of republicans who are being foreclosed on. Like I said, everyone makes mistakes.

[six-six-seis]

without your constant religious attacks you become nothing more than a bald headed whiner wearing a megadeath t-shirt..blaming jeyzus for all the ills in your life..


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Posted by libsluv2spit/.....

try Slayer.....

[libsluv2spit]

try Slayer.....


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Posted by six-six-seis at 06:37 PM : Jul 23, 2008
+ report abuse


************

pardon me..let me correct that then ..

"without your constant religious attacks you become nothing more than a bald headed whiner wearing a SLAYER t-shirt..blaming jeyzus for all the ills in your life.."

think of it..you need "jeyzus"..

[six-six-seis]

Posted by libsluv2spit at ...

wow you just described my neighbor, and he goes to church......