Woman Saved From Fox River After Suicide Attempt

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Nov 12, 2008 8:40PM

When an Elgin woman jumped into the Fox River attempting suicide yesterday afternoon, a group of onlookers called 911 to report the incident; rescue divers pulled the woman, still alive, from the river not far from the bridge where she jumped in. It was a decision that officials say was the right call. Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Swoboda said, "People like that you don't want to get too close because you don't know what their mindset is. Just keep an eye on them until we can show up...It's normal for people to want to do that, but realistically, it just makes it more difficult for the fire department when they get here. That water's really cold and it can put you in shock really quick, and you're not going to be much of a help to somebody at that point." Karen Beyer, the executive director of Ecker Center for Mental Health in Elgin, agreed that direct action can be risky, but suggested talking to the person threatening suicide. "You might try to bring the conversation around someone in their life who depends on them and loves them and would be hurt deeply if they died and they know it."