Sad Christmas for family after mother, baby found dead in Calgary home

[sanctus]

CALGARY (CP) - A family is in mourning this Christmas after a mother and young child were found dead in their northwest Calgary home.

Police say the two were found Sunday afternoon by a family member.

Duty Inspector Luch Berti says the homicide unit was initially called in.

But he says foul play has been ruled out and the mother's death is believed to be accidental or medical in nature.

Berti says the child, about a year old or younger, was unable to fend for him or herself and died as a result.

He says the deaths are a tragedy and it's now up to the medical examiner to figure out exactly what happened.

Copyright © 2006 Canadian Press

 

[Sassylassie]

How awful, did no one hear the cries from the baby? What has society come to that we allow a child to die because we can't be bothered to "Check" out a crying baby? Did no one miss this woman, did anyone care? How awful.

 

[tracy]

This is such a sad story.

 

[Ariadne]

How awful, did no one hear the cries from the baby? What has society come to that we allow a child to die because we can't be bothered to "Check" out a crying baby? Did no one miss this woman, did anyone care? How awful.

The two were discovered on Sunday afternoon by her mom. Both of them were in the bathtub so the baby probably drowned without much crying. Additionally, they were in a house, not an apartment, so any crying may not have been audible. The police have said it appears to be an accidental death and they are looking for toxicology reports and whether a medical condition contributed to the incident. Perhaps the woman was in the bath with her baby and had an epileptic seizure.

 

[sanctus]

How awful, did no one hear the cries from the baby? What has society come to that we allow a child to die because we can't be bothered to "Check" out a crying baby? Did no one miss this woman, did anyone care? How awful.

Good questions! But how often does anyone really pay attention to their neighbours?

 

[Ariadne]

Good questions! But how often does anyone really pay attention to their neighbours?

They died on December 24 and were discovered the same afternoon so I don't think anyone was remiss in terms of not noticing what was going on with the mom and baby.

Also, it's pretty hard to hear a crying baby in a bathtub full of water ... in fact, there wouldn't be any crying as far as I can tell - just a few air bubbles rising to the water surface and it's all over.

 

[csanopal]

They died on December 24 and were discovered the same afternoon so I don't think anyone was remiss in terms of not noticing what was going on with the mom and baby.

Also, it's pretty hard to hear a crying baby in a bathtub full of water ... in fact, there wouldn't be any crying as far as I can tell - just a few air bubbles rising to the water surface and it's all over.

Still, sanctus has a good point. Maybe this time the event was noticed quickly, but what about in most of our cases? How well do we even know our neighbours, never mind when they might need help! Could be folks starving on my street and would I know? Should I know?

 

[Ariadne]

Still, sanctus has a good point. Maybe this time the event was noticed quickly, but what about in most of our cases? How well do we even know our neighbours, never mind when they might need help! Could be folks starving on my street and would I know? Should I know?

I think it all depends on the neighbourhood as to how much people pay attention to each other. This accidental death doesn't seem to have anything to do with the neighbours paying attention, this sounds like either substance abuse or a medical condition resulted in an unfortunate drowning accident in a bathtub. Death by drowning is not a noisy event. There is absolutely nothing that any neighbour could or should have done. The fact that the victim's mom checked in on her daughter (and obviously had a key) tells us that people cared and checked on the victims within hours of their death. If this woman had a medical condition such as epilepsy, then she was particularly foolish for putting her baby in the bath with her. In fact, she should have preferred showers. If it was substance abuse, again the mother was very reckless. I think the neighbours are completely innocent in this incident.

I think one of the best stories of an unnoticed death was in Britain or France a couple of years ago where the guy had money being automatically deposited into his account and his bills were automatically debited ... it was a couple of years before anyone noticed. It's pretty rare that this sort of thing happens.

I suppose this could also be a murder suicide where the mother was depressed by Christmas, she overdosed on some type of pharmaceutical and deliberately drowned her baby. Maybe that was the reason why her mom went to check on her within hours of not speaking with her. Christmas can be pretty hard on some people and suicide isn't that uncommon around this time of year.

 

[canadarocks]

I.

I think one of the best stories of an unnoticed death was in Britain or France a couple of years ago where the guy had money being automatically deposited into his account and his bills were automatically debited ... it was a couple of years before anyone noticed. It's pretty rare that this sort of thing happens.
ar.

whoa!! How could money be deposited into his account? You mean he was receiving a paycheque?

 

[Ariadne]

whoa!! How could money be deposited into his account? You mean he was receiving a paycheque?

He was an old guy and received his social security cheque automatically.

Here's the follow up to the story and it looks like my speculations about epilepsy were pretty accurate:

"Courtney Schenck was remembered Saturday as a devoted mother whose happiest moments began when she became pregnant with her daughter.
Schenck and her 13-month-old daughter, Hannah, who died tragically in a bathtub just before Christmas, were mourned by hundreds of family and friends.
"From the time she was pregnant, it was the happiest, most rewarding time of her life," Schenck's uncle, Garth Schnurer, said.
"(Hannah) was the best baby girl, our perfect little angel. She was a very proud mother." Schenck's obituary said she called Hannah her "saving angel." A friend recalled how 26-year-old Schenck would excitedly call with Hannah updates, such as when she took her first step.
Schenck and Hannah were discovered in the bathtub at their Panorama Hills home by a family member on Christmas Eve. Police believe their death was an accident, and looked at whether a medical condition contributed to the tragedy.
In her obituary, donations to the Epilepsy Association are requested in lieu of flowers, as well as to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Schnurer said Schenck played ringette and other sports with the same "fury, determination and attitude as she lived her life." He recalled Schenck's sense of humour, describing it as a little "off the wall," and recalled how as she grew older, she would catch on to his attempts at teasing.
"Both young ladies touched our hearts and will never be forgotten," Schnurer said."
CALGARY HERALD

 

[calgary75]

Respect...

I'm a friend of Courtney's sister & I believe the family would be very upset if they ever came across this forum. People shouldn't assume things, wait for the facts to come out, just as one person did on here. If this happened to you, would you want to be reading how some people (that don't even know you) think that it was a murder/suicide or that no one noticed because they didn't care? If these people were your loved ones, would you want that? I know I wouldn't. Believe me, both Courtney & Hannah were loved more than anyone will ever know & I think it's sad that you're discussing people you don't know.

Have a little more respect for this grieving family.

 

[sanctus]

I'm a friend of Courtney's sister & I believe the family would be very upset if they ever came across this forum. People shouldn't assume things, wait for the facts to come out, just as one person did on here. If this happened to you, would you want to be reading how some people (that don't even know you) think that it was a murder/suicide or that no one noticed because they didn't care? If these people were your loved ones, would you want that? I know I wouldn't. Believe me, both Courtney & Hannah were loved more than anyone will ever know & I think it's sad that you're discussing people you don't know.

Have a little more respect for this grieving family.

It is not lack of respect for the family on this forum to discuss and share ideas on any news item we are favoured to read. THAT is the nature of these types of forums.

Everything we discuss about any news story is always about people we do not really know, even political figures.

While the family has my emphathy, and I understand your comments, I think it unfair of you to suggest that the good people of this forum lack human compassion for discussing a publically distributed news item.

 

[RomSpaceKnight]

I'm a friend of Courtney's sister & I believe the family would be very upset if they ever came across this forum. People shouldn't assume things, wait for the facts to come out, just as one person did on here. If this happened to you, would you want to be reading how some people (that don't even know you) think that it was a murder/suicide or that no one noticed because they didn't care? If these people were your loved ones, would you want that? I know I wouldn't. Believe me, both Courtney & Hannah were loved more than anyone will ever know & I think it's sad that you're discussing people you don't know.

Have a little more respect for this grieving family.

You are entirely correct. This is, in terms of population, a small country. There is always a good chance that someone personally knows the folks in the story.

The family has my deepest sympathies.

 

[canadarocks]

He was an old guy and received his social security cheque automatically.

Here's the follow up to the story and it looks like my speculations about epilepsy were pretty accurate:
ur hearts and will never be forgotten," Schnurer said."
CALGARY HERALD

But wouldn't the bank wonder why the account never moved, no transactions?

 

[Ariadne]

But wouldn't the bank wonder why the account never moved, no transactions?

Similar story: http://forums.canadiancontent.net/off-topic/55477-loneliness-technology.html ...

I think there would be transactions ... cheques automatically deposited, bills automatically paid.

 

[Slightly Offended]

Ariadne, what kind of Human Being are you?

I was a friend of the deceased, and to say that I was slighty offended by your comments would be stating the facts mildly!

Not sure what I mean?

"in fact, there wouldn't be any crying as far as I can tell - just a few air bubbles rising to the water surface and it's all over.
this sounds like either substance abuse or a medical condition
she was particularly foolish
I suppose this could also be a murder suicide where the mother was depressed by Christmas, she overdosed on some type of pharmaceutical and deliberately drowned her baby."

These kind of comments are not only inappropriate, but incredibly offensive. I do know the familly, and certainly will not be passing on any of these comments. I think that they have suffered enough, without having to listen to these horendous comments. I hope you sleep well at night, and hope that you never have to live through a tragedy such as this!!!!