4 sheriffs deputies from same Texas department die by suicide in just a few weeks span: report
Four current and former sheriff’s deputies from Harris County Sheriff’s Department in Houston, Texas have died by suicide since February — including three in a span of one week, according to authorities.In the first saddening incident, retired Deputy Long Nguyen died by suicide on Feb.6, according to local ABC 13.Weeks later, Deputy Christina Kohler, 37, who was found dead on March 13 after being declared missing for over a week, the station reported.
Three days later, the body of former Deputy Maria Vasquez was discovered, with the Houston Medical Examiner ruling the death as self-inflicted.Vasquez had retired from the force in December 2024.Then, on March 19, retired Deputy William Bozeman also took his own life after spending 24 years in the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, the outlet reported.President of Harris County Deputies’ Organization Jose Lopez said the deaths “caught a lot of us by surprise.”“It hits very close to home and it’s a reminder to us how fragile life is and it’s also a reminder we do need to look out for each other.
We do need to take care of each other,” Lopez told ABC 13.Lopez added that HCSO has launched ongoing mental health initiatives to address the disturbing trend.Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez also mourned the horrific rash of suicides.“Today we learned of a Harris County Sheriff’s Office retiree who died from an apparent suicide.This makes three for us within the span of a week.
Our hearts are heavy.We extend our deepest condolences to their families, colleagues, and friends.
It’s a painful reminder that life is fragile and time is not promised,” Gonzalez wrote on Facebook.If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling.If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline...