Did you know that 700,000 people die from suicide every year? That number is astonishingly high, which means that countless families suffer from eh loss of a loved one.
If you are one of these people, we know it is a difficult moment in time for you. However, if you find someone that commits suicide in your home, there are vital steps you must take before and after such a horrific incident. If you want to know what to do if and when your home becomes the site of a suicide crime scene, keep reading this helpful article.
Call the Police
Though walking in on a suicide crime scene is jarring and upsetting, you must do your best to remain calm. Get to a phone and call emergency services.
Once you tell the operator your situation and address, they will dispatch first responders, police, and paramedics to your home. Many people wonder why they have to call the police or why law enforcement gets involved.
That is because forensics considers suicides to be unnatural deaths. It is a protocol for the police to arrive with a forensic team following up.
There are many instances where homicides occur, and the criminal attempts to make it look like a suicide. So, the police are simply taking measures to ensure that it is a suicide and there is no foul play at hand.
Prepare yourself because they might rifle through your loved one’s belongings and confiscate some items. Even for suicide, they want to uncover the reason why the person took their own life.
So, they might be interested in journals, papers, and electronic documents on a computer. Once their investigation is complete, it is within your rights to go to the police station and request the items back.
And keep in mind that just because there is an investigation does not mean they suspect you or anyone else of a crime. The police have procedures to follow to ensure everyone’s safety.
Perform Resuscitation Efforts
The next thing to prepare for after contacting emergency services is performing resuscitation. The 911 operator will ask you a series of questions as to the person’s state of health or whether you can see if they are breathing.
While emergency responders are on their way to your home, you might have to perform resuscitation on your loved one. That is a horrific event, but it could save someone’s life.
If the person who attempted suicide is on the brink of death, resuscitation can keep them alive until professionals arrive. If you do not know what to do, the operator on the other end of the line will walk you through the stages and explain how to resuscitate someone.
Ask if You Have to View the Body
You may or may not have to view the body for identification purposes. To start, ask if you will need to see your loved one to give confirmation.
If you do, you must decide if you can handle seeing someone you love in that state. It is critical to your mental health to make the right decision because what you see may haunt you.
If you do not feel ready to view the body, then ask if someone else can do it in your stead. Be sure that the person is a close family member who can give an accurate identification.
Arrange for a Place to Stay
After the body is removed from the premises, entering your home will be difficult. You might want to find another place to stay so that you do not have to be in the same home as the crime scene.
Not only will it still be fresh, but your pain is too. So, ask a friend or family member if you can stay with them. If there isn’t anyone who can take you in, arrange to sleep in a hotel for as long as you need.
Prepare to Tell People
Telling people of the tragedy is never easy. Depending on the family member, you may have to tell everyone or only a few.
However, you must know how to tackle this situation so that you properly relay the information. To start, sit everyone down, and tell them there is something important you have to say.
Tell them about the suicide as gently as possible, and then allow everyone to react. Some family’s find it easier to go around the room and give everyone the chance to talk or cry.
If you are telling children about the suicide, be sure to let them know that they did not do anything wrong. Children tend to blame themselves, so you have to do your best to tell them it isn’t their fault.
Hire a Cleanup Crew
Once the police tear down the crime scene, they leave you to deal with the aftermath. Unfortunately, it is not the job of forensics or law enforcement to perform crime scene cleanup.
If the suicide created a lot of blood, you shouldn’t attempt to clean up by yourself. Instead, hire a professional clean-up company. These professionals know how to clean a crime scene so that everything is spotless.
Not only that, but a death cleanup company will have better products than you can get at your local supermarket. Therefore, they can scrub away the blood or anything else left behind.
That way, you no longer have to see it. It is critical to note here that you must always check with the police before you hire a biohazard cleanup company.
Make sure that the scene is no longer in use. That way, you keep from tampering with the scene or destroying vital evidence.
Get Grief Counseling
Allow yourself to grieve. There is no shame in feeling sadness and anger toward the situation. However, it is beneficial that you understand everything about grief. Learn the stages and how to move through them.
If need be, seek grief counseling in your local area. You can find counselor’s via a therapist or even through hospice. If you notice that you cannot move on, counseling will teach you how to live your life in the absence of the one you love.
Hire a Cleaning Service for a Suicide Crime Scene
As you can tell, there are several critical steps you must take if your home becomes a suicide crime scene. If you require a professional cleanup company, ZBM Inc. is here to ease the stress.
We offer services that remove the blood and any other stains from your home. Please, feel free to contact us today. We are happy to answer any questions and concerns you may have.
