Laura Lorenz manner of death determined

According to the Office of the Coroner of McHenry County today, the manner of death of Laura Lorenz on November 3, 2009, has been determined.

Under the new law the Coroner's office can conduct a private hearing in its office and determine the manner of death by a meeting of three persons connected with the office. Attendees will be the Coroner and two deputy coroners, one of whom is to be the deputy coroner who handled the case. No witnesses or police appear at the hearing, which is not an inquest.

The determination by the three persons in this hearing was that the manner of death was suicide. This determination confirms information provided to me on November 7. I had been unable to confirm the cause of death prior to the information today from the Coroner's Office and so did not publish an unconfirmed cause.

When the cause of a person's death is suicide, it seems to me that it should be mentioned in the press. For me, there are at least two important reasons.

One is the emotional support that can be extended to survivors by friends and the community.

The other important reason, to me, is that it serves as a reminder to all of us to be on the alert for symptoms that might lead to suicide. When we recognize those symptoms, then we can step forward and attempt to help another person through support, encouragement and, if necessary, intervention.

For information on suicide prevention, visit www.asfp.org for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

For information or for urgent assistance in dealing with a potential suicide, call the McHenry County Crisis Line at 800.892.8900. You can call the Crisis Line for information; you need not wait for a "crisis".

Obviously, in an emergency, dial 9-1-1.