Andrea Labbe, Murder-Suicide Case
Toronto has recently been hit with the sad and mysterious story of a mother, Andrea Labbe, who took her life after shortly stabbing her husband and eldest daughter.
I sat there watching the news with my husband as they did a special on postpartum depression (PPD) and psychosis (PPP), as some experts are debating whether this case was related to this very serious and very real psychological disorder.
Having gone through postpartum depression not too long ago, I felt extremely annoyed and frustrated with the realization that PPD and PPP have been heavily researched on and yet it is still somewhat ignored and left untreated in so many instances.
Why must such a tragedy as this be the reason to bring such a serious issue to light? Do we humans require such extreme to shake us up into reality so frequently?
Of course, there are many pamphlets and reading material forewarning expectant mothers of this disorder. Yet it still isn’t something spoken of and most often then not, the problem the mother faces is denial of it from within herself as well as from those around her.
I’d like to see more education regarding PPD and PPP not just for the parents to be but to close family and friends. I’d like there to be less shame and guilt placed on the mother, making her feel weak and victimized.
It’s a problem that needs to be delt with immediately and with care. Yet it is a problem that can be delt with.
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I don’t think that Andrea killed her family
How can a person stab themselves numerous times and keep going? It’s like drowning yourself when you can swim.
Why didnt she go after the baby? Post-Partum symptoms mean she wants to kill the baby as a form of mercy killing?
Is it possible that Brian did it? Perhaps he stabbed himself in the stomach after killing the baby and Andrea…. he didnt realize the severety of the wounds to stomach and thought he would survive….if he did, we would blame him now anyways?
ANDDD the suicide note? I dont think so… I think that he threatned her daughters life… one of them (who turned 2 today) he didnt kill, but he threatned her life, and probably forced Andrea to write the note, in respects he would not hurt the child if he did… i dont know
R.I.P
i don’t know what to make of the story myself. point that i’d like to make is that whether or not she is guilty, it’s amazing how the media only picks up on the topic of postpartum depression everytime something as extreme as this comes up.
Kristen,it amazes me how many people like yourself always defend the woman. Oh there is no way a woman could ever do something that bad,well guess what women are just as capable of brutal things as a man.
The problem is society still treats the women as the victim,here you have a woman that killed her family but have you heard “oh my god what a monster” but i bet if this was a man you would. The woman is always the “victim” no matter what.
Bitter? Yes as i am a man wrongfully accused.
My wife had our second child and suffered PPD then during that had a pacemaker replaced. She suffered
aniexty attacks i got her a therapist but it got worse,she threated to kill herself i called the police they did nothing,she tried to kill herself with pills and then when i told her enough i could not take it anymore i was going to get her put in a institution she realized how serious i was,she turned it on me.
I tried to kill her,I raped her,I assaulted her
Instantly i was arrested charged with 7 charges put in jail for a week then released on 50000 bail.
She now has my kids and is living with her mom.
Guilty till proven innocent
I lost my family,house,job, cannot even reside in the region all because no one would listen to me the “man”
Now i have CAS trying to listen but you know what?
I am a man charged with 7 very serious charges facing years of jail time and they see her as the”victim” I believe my children are in danger but no one will listen.
Will it take another Andrea Labbe for someone to listen?
To: Just whos the Victim.
YOU ARE SICK.
to ‘Just whos the victim’,
if what you are saying is true, then i’m sorry to hear you had to go through that. that is horrible.
however, your situation is slightly different in what i am trying to get at. or perhaps, it’s exactly what i am trying to get at. that PPD an PPP are very real and very serious. it does not affect the mentality of the woman alone, but those that around her. it’s a problem not just of the woman that has the disorder, but a problem for her family and friends.
as for your lash out to kristen, well, she is entitled to her own questions and oppinions. she didn’t write her comment as a personal attack on you.
plus, her questions are valid. as everyone’s situation with PPD and/or PPP, either diretly or indirectly related to the situation is different.
I wasn’t disagreeing with whether or not Andrea LAbbe (or any other woman) could commit such atrocities, I was simply looking for another answer, because this case was so quickly solved and not appeared to be looked at. My apoligies for offending you sir, but I was trying to look another way.
Could somebody tell me what was Andrea
Well, personally i think she did kill them. All i have to say is what in the hell was she thinking. i guess we’ll never know. Anyways, why do you think her husband did? If he did do it, why would he then kill himself? HMMMMM
I dont really know what to think.
You all disgust me. Andrea was my best friend in high school - and I can’t believe that all you freaks have nothing better to do than speculate about a horrible event involving people you have NO affiliation or knowledge of - other than newspapers.
Go back to watching Jerry Springer you pricks.
well said, christopher - well said…
My comment is this: first of all it is a shame if ppl are going to put Andrea Labbes story in the back of their minds because she didn’t need to die in Vain! No matter what the exact ordeal went. The moral is being overlooked. Andrea had shown signs of depression and even bipolar depression according to the people who were involved in her life (even as far as teachers at her children’s school) NO ONE HELPED HER, not even her husband saw this cry or numerous cries for help as serious enough and he along with the majority of her family suffered from this. WHO CARES WHO STARTED WHAT, there were signs and too many ppl are busy talkin crap about how mental illness is a sham or once a women, a mother shows signs of weakness then ppl want to send the attack dogs of Children’s Aid to “take care” of the families. Andrea needed intervention but it is so hard to even admit that you are finding difficulties in your role as a parent or even a person. If she had gone to some intervention looking for help would she have gotten it without her children being taken away or threatening her role as a parent? There are no garauntees! It would be difficult enough to admit and seek help for your “weakess” or mental illness but then to jepordize your family…..UNTHINKABLE!!! Stop looking at who started what and who died in what order, that is not what is important! # people died that day and unless society starts accepting those with mental illness and reaching out to help rather than judging and threatening the VICTIM then Andrea and her family died in vain! It is too late to help her and her family but it isn’t to late to help the lonely, depressed, post partem,or bipolar neighbor, friend, family member, mate, teacher, employee or employer! People with mental illness NEED vital people in their lives to check up on them in a loving respectful way. I often say that ppl with cancer are so much better off then ppl with mental illness, why? ITS TRUE, ppl research cancer, Gosh they even ask for money to help research this deadly disease and if someojne has cancer they are bombarded with cards and condolences. WELL LOOK AT THE HOUSE BEHIND THAT, you know with the person suffering from a mental illness whether it be an enviromental cause or not…..Where are their cards and condolences…..Cancer will usually kill the person that it has infected whereas the ppl suffering from depression only get release if they do it themself….or if they continually be a burden to those around them until they (fingers crossed) find the right medication and help. Please dont let Andrea Labbe or her family to have died for nothing. USe her sad story of undiagnosed and unattended to mental illness and REACH OUT TO THOSE PPL IN YOUR LIFE WHO ARE CRYING INSIDE, dont discriminate against mental illness, research it, don’t make jokes about those suffereing, offer to help them, befriend and love them like they NEED you to!
R.I.P. Andrea…you are my angel!
Well. What She did was wrong, but Post partum disease is such a sad thing to go through. It must be so hard, i cant even begin to understand how it must feel. I can understand both sides of the story.