Family of Maine shooting suspect says his mental health had deteriorated rapidly

[lanlady]

20. This all brings back a sad memory for me

A girlfriend of mine lived with her husband in a home where he insisted on keeping an accessible, loaded pistol in a cabinet near their bedroom. Their daughter was severely handicapped and required constant care. The strain and sadness of it all led to my friend's gradual mental decline. She attempted suicide once by overdosing on pills. Was the husband concerned enough to remove the gun? Nah. Less than a year after she attempted suicide, she took the gun into the backyard and left her brains scattered on the lawn.

Any suggestions to the widower that he was at fault, that he could have prevented this, were met with vociferous denials. The gun is never, ever to blame with these people. He ended up having to put his daughter in a 24x7 care facility because her mother was no longer there to care for her. He was not a rich man and it bankrupted him.