Mass. woman commits suicide as home foreclosed
7:17 AM Thu, Jul 24, 2008 | Permalink
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TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) -- A 53-year-old wife and mother fatally shot herself soon after faxing a letter to her mortgage company saying that by the time they foreclosed on her house that day, she would be dead. Police in Taunton said Carlene Balderrama used her husband's high-powered rifle to kill herself Tuesday afternoon, after faxing the letter at 2:30 p.m. The mortgage company called police, who found Balderrama's body at 3:30 p.m. in her brown-shingled raised ranch house. The auction was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and interested buyers arrived at the property in Taunton, about 35 miles south Boston, while Balderrama's body was still inside, according to police chief Raymond O'Berg. Police did not immediately release the name of the mortgage company. O'Berg said Balderrama's fax read, in part, "By the time you foreclose on my house I'll be dead." O'Berg also said a suicide note found next to Balderrama told her husband, John, and 24-year-old son to "take the (life) insurance money and pay for the house." Balderrama's husband filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy three years in a row, between 2004-2006, but the courts dismissed the petitions. Those are reorganizations in which debtors with regular income work out repayment plans with creditors. Debtors who declare bankruptcy under Chapter 13 are generally allowed to keep their homes while paying off their debts over three to five years under a court-approved bankruptcy plan. "I had no clue," said John Balderrama explaining that his wife handled all the couple's finances. "I'm just lost. I tell you I'm beside myself." He said Carlene had been intercepting letters from the mortgage company and shredding them without his knowledge. He had no idea she hadn't paid the mortgage in 42 months. "She put in her suicide note that it got overwhelming for her," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday. "Apparently she didn't have anyone to talk to. She didn't come to me. I don't know why." Neighbors on this forested side street said Balderrama had lived in the two-story, brown-shingled, raised ranch for about four years with her husband, John, who is a plumber, and their 24-year-old son. Noreen Mendes, who lived about four houses down the street from Balderrama, said she often stopped and chatted with her. Mendes said Balderrama never mentioned any financial problems, but often spoke about repairs the family was making to their house. Two weeks ago, a contractor came to the house to give Balderrma an estimate on a roof replacement, Mendes said. "She was just so sweet, so nice. I never realized she had any problems, so it is just shocking," Mendes said. 
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I read this morning that the husband was making in excess of $90,000.00 per year.
I hope she doesn't become the poster child for victims of lenders. THese people were out of control in their spending. The pressure got to be too much.
I don't think for a minute that the husband had no idea of the situation.
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This is so terribly tragic...and I doubt it's the first or last time it's going to happen during these trying times...
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How tragic that she took her own life over nothing more than a stack of wood and a bucket of nails. We Americans are too materialistic, far too attached to our 'stuff'. We need to get back to basics and thank God every day for what matters most, not just our family members and loved ones, but as well the caring strangers in our lives.
To anyone having overwhelming problems, talk to someone! It doesn't have to be a 'professional', it can be a neighbor or even a stranger on the bus. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
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What concerns me is that this GOVERNMENT of ours is willing to BAIL out Fannie May and Fredie Mac, yet it will not do anything to help out the people who pay their taxes to allow this country to run. We have gotten away from what this country was built on. Too many politicans are out for themselves and too many laws have been created by those politicans to allow good for the rich few and allow no tolorance for the rest of us. This poor lady took her life so her family could have a roof over their heads. Prices keep going up and the rich investors out there continue to make their millions off of the losses of so many others. This government needs to start protecting the one's who need protecting and not the rich jerks who manipulate this country.
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What puzzled me is how did she manage to keep her house for over 3 years without paying her mortgage. I am sure if I stop paying my mortgage, I'll be out on the street in 2 months.
Either the husband is dumb or we do not know the whole story.
I do not agree that the government should be bailing out people having problems with their payments. How about those struggling and giving up everything else to keep up with mortgage? Who's going to bail them out?
No matter what, some people will still always try to live above their means. There was that story about a couple making $45,000 a year and living in a $350,000 home. i am making about then same but I will never dare thinking about buying a house that expensive, even at a 0% interest.
I don't care what people think, sub-prime was not forced on people.
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I know how she feels. Nobody listens...nobody cares.
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