Often suicidal teens want someone (an informed friend) who understands and who will listen as they talk—someone who truly listens and doesn’t give solutions or advice! “You don’t seem to be like your old self.” “I’m listening if you want to talk.” “I’m not sure what I can do to help, but I’ll try.” “I […]

In my last Blog I discussed talking to teens, adolescents and friends if you suspect they might be suicidal. Here are some questions you can ask to find out just what their suicidal intentions are: “You’ve been talking about suicide a lot lately—are things getting so bad that you are thinking about killing yourself?” (Often […]

It may seem scary and awkward to talk to someone whom you think might be suicidal. You can say something like: “You don’t seem to be like your old self.” (Use whatever language is most comfortable and natural.) If you show concern and are open and direct, you can often ask questions and might receive […]

Suicide attempts by teens usually don’t happen without some signs that indicate something is wrong. So be alert to early clues, signals and intentions—even after it seems the worst is over a person can still have made the decision to commit suicide. Take attempts and fatalistic statements seriously. (Remember, accidents do happen!) Here is a […]

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? Melanie Hack Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend Read an excerpt now TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James

Accident, or misadventure (an error; an accident that causes serious injury or death to a person and that does not involve negligence, wrongful purpose, or unlawful conduct), is another theory about my sister Cindy’s death. Maybe you’re wondering how the heck that’s possible—How could someone’s death be an accident when she has ten times the […]

I hold you in my heart here on earth until I can hold you in my arms once again in Heaven. – Author Unknown – Melanie Hack Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend Read an excerpt now TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James

Do you think people have the right to end their life (and have a “good” death)? Do you believe in euthanasia (when someone other than the patient ends the patient’s life as painlessly as possible? How do you feel about passive euthanasia (when a person does not try to resuscitate the patient)? Or, how do […]

“When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door, that we don’t see the one which has been opened for us.” -Helen Keller- Melanie Hack Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend Read an excerpt now TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy […]

A tape with two phone calls was played at the 1990 inquest examining Cindy James’s death. (She disappeared May 25, 1989 and her body was found on June 8, 1989.) Those two calls had been received on Cindy’s ex-husband’s answering machine two weeks prior to Cindy’s October 1988 attack. At 11:17pm Tuesday, October 11, 1988, […]