Another Tragic Loss in Scarsdale
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A mother’s suicide on Tuesday has left Scarsdale searching for answers as to why four people in the community have taken their own lives (one unconfirmed) in the past seven weeks. The mother of two jumped from the Tappan Zee Bridge, leaving grief-stricken children, parents, friends and neighbors seeking to explain the inexplicable.
Lynne Spencer was a former school psychologist and the mother of a fourth grader at Heathcote Elementary School and a sophomore at Scarsdale High School. According to the Journal News Spencer drove her Toyota Highlander onto the bridge around noon on Tuesday, got out, and jumped 150 feet into the Hudson River. Miraculously a construction crew that was under the bridge to sandblast one of the piers saw her fall about 50 feet in front of them. Three men from the crew jumped into a boat and pulled Spencer out of the water where she was floating face down.
Though she was unconscious she was still alive and one of the men performed CPR on her until she began to breathe. She was treated by paramedics and EMT’s and taken to Nyack Hospital where she later died from internal trauma. Spencer was remembered by a Dunham Road neighbor who said, “Lynne was a gracious, warm and lovely person. We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss.”
Funeral services will be held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church on Greenacres Avenue in Scarsdale on Saturday, December 4 at 11 am.
Her death has shaken a community already in mourning over the recent loss of a beloved elementary school teacher right before Thanksgiving and a member of the high school staff in October. In addition, a well-known shopkeeper attempted to take his own life in his Scarsdale Village store on October 23 and later died as a result. All the victims were parents, compounding the tragic nature of their deaths. By all accounts Scarsdale is a very supportive community that prides itself on its spirit of volunteerism. The Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service provides free support to those in need, and in a town with abundant resources it is baffling why these tragedies could not have been averted.
There is no known link between the deaths, though clusters of suicides have been documented elsewhere. We spoke to several mental health experts to learn more about possible causes and were told that there are no easy answers, though depression, illness, divorce and economic instability are known to be contributing factors. According to psychiatrists, the advent of the holiday season can also trigger depression and exacerbate family issues.
The school was quick to react and communicate with parents and students. In a thoughtful letter to district parents, Superintendent Michael McGill wrote,
“This is my thirty-ninth year as a school superintendent or headmaster. In all that period, I can't remember a sequence of tragedies similar to the one that's shaken our schools and the broader community within the last few weeks. Over the last month, we've experienced the consequences of the darkest of emotions. At the same time, we've witnessed the best of human caring and resilience. The strength of our students, faculty, parents and other community members has been exemplary.....Unavoidably, times like these raise difficult questions to which nobody has answers, and they necessarily lay bare feelings of vulnerability. A number of people, including some mental health professionals, have asked how they could help the schools help students through this trial.”
He goes on to let parents know what is being done at the schools to help the children through this crisis:
“Each school has a trained intervention team that coordinates support services. The teams draw on the expertise of external psychiatric and/or psychological specialists, and their approaches have been developed in collaboration with mental health professionals. I hope you'll be reassured to know that principals, counselors, deans, youth workers, psychologists and faculty at large are all in communication about students who may benefit from special attention; school personnel are in touch with those youngsters and their families, where appropriate; and staff will take added measures as necessary.”
It is natural for anyone who had interactions with the victims to wonder if they missed a sign or if they could have helped. What is so puzzling is that there are often no signs beforehand that someone is contemplating taking his or her own life.
However, Scarsdale School Psychologist Ernie Collabolletta, (721-2563) has provided the following list of signs to look for -- and we offer it here for your information:
- Excessive sadness or moodiness: Long-lasting sadness and mood swings can be symptoms of depression, a major risk factor for suicide
- Sudden calmness: Suddenly becoming calm after a period of depression or moodiness can be a sign that the person has made a decision to end his or her life
- Withdrawal: Choosing to be alone and avoiding friends or social activities also are possible symptoms of depression. This includes the loss of interest or pleasure in activities the person previously enjoyed.
- Changes in personality or appearance: A person who is considering suicide might exhibit a change in attitude or behavior, such as speaking or moving with unusual speed or slowness. In addition, the person might suddenly become less concerned about his or her personal appearance.
Last, Collabolletta provided the following list of resources and we encourage you to keep these in mind for anyone in need:
- Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service (723-3281)
- The Bereavement Center of Westchester (961-2818)
- Westchester Jewish Community Services (761-0600 x 207)
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center.
Scarsdale Man Indicted for Grand Larceny
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According to the Journal News , Frank Schwall, age 46 of Mamaroneck Road in Scarsdale was indicted for second and third degree larceny for embezzling tens of thousands of dollars for the development of an indoor training center for Little League aged children. He created Big Apple Baseball LLC in 2006 with the intent of building a new facility in Port Chester but put the donations in his own account instead.
Schwall was indicted in Westchester County Court on November 24 for a host of charges, including second and third degree grand larceny; two counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first degree falsifying business records, first degree offering a false instrument for filing, false tax returns and one count of failure to file a return in violation of New York State Tax Law.
Schwall pleaded not guilty and is represented by Andrew Proto of the White Plains firm Riebling, Proto and Sachs. He maintains that he is innocent and is free on $10,000 bail. He could face up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted for grand larceny in connection with a 2005 transaction in which he misrepresented his work status to get a home-equity line of credit.
Sales to Underage Drinkers and a Car in the Stream
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A Tompkins Road man and his 15 year-old daughter were parked in the gravel lot of Scarsdale High School in their 2002 Toyota Suburban on the afternoon of 11/21. The girl inadvertently put the car in drive and it surged forward, hit a sign and then rolled into the stream.
On 11/20 a Saxon Woods Road man was backing his 2005 Toyota Camry out of a driveway at 43 Palmer Road when the front end of the car fell into a drainage ditch. R&D Towing was called to pull the car out of the ditch.
A Tuckahoe man riding his bike west on Church Lane says a car hit him at 8:44 am on November 16. The car was a taxi owned by the Jefferson Cab Company and the driver of the cab denied hitting the biker, who complained of pain and requested help from SVAC. However, when the ambulance arrived, the biker refused treatment.
Unsafe Driver: The adult daughters of a 90 year-old Birchall Drive woman came to police on 11/18 to report that they were taking away their mother’s 2000 Mercedes convertible and cancelling her driver’s license. The elderly woman had three accidents in the last two months and failed a recent road test.
Identity Theft: A Palmer Avenue woman reported that someone made $68.09 in purchases from a pornographic website called Naked.com sometime between October 14 and November 18. The person used the woman’s professional name to make the purchases.
Stolen: A Brite Avenue woman locked her bike to a rack on East Parkway on the morning of November 15th. When she returned at 6 pm her 21-speed hybrid bike, valued at $500 and her combination lock were gone.
Lost: A 15 year old Scarsdale boy lost a 22” gold link chain and cross near the school and his mother came to police to report the missing necklace.
Found: The Highway Department found a Motorola radio in a leaf pile at the corner of Barry and Tunstall Roads on November 15th. It turned out to belong to Con Edison and they came to headquarters to retrieve it.
Noise: Police received a call about noisy kids in the stairwell of CVS on Popham Road at 11 pm on November 19th. They said they were waiting for their parents to pick them up and wanted to stay warm. They were told to leave the area.
Coyotes were reported at Corell Park at 10:40 am on 11/21 and in the yard of a Horseguard Lane home at 2:20 on 11/21.
From the Greenburgh Police: The Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force caught several establishments selling and serving liquor to underage buyers last week. On the night of 11/18, an underage agent of the Task Force purchased liquor from the Hartsdale Wine store at 391 North Central Avenue in Hartsdale. Since the store sold the underage man the liquor the store employee was issued a court appearance ticket for the unauthorized sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor. A similar incident occurred at Morton Williams on Central Avenue on 11/18 where alcohol was sold to an underage agent and an appearance ticket was issued. On the night of 11/19, an underage Task Force member was served a drink at The Cabin on Knollwood Road and the restaurant and the bartender were issued appearance tickets.
Drunk Drivers: Irvin Elias of Paramus New Jersey was arrested for driving while intoxicated on West Hartsdale Avenue on the evening of 11/15. Elias, age 56 was stopped for erratic driving and admitted to drinking beer at the Candlelight and taking a Xanax. His 2005 Ford Taurus was impounded.
At 1:45 am on 11/19 Paul Lynch of White Plains was stopped in his car on Central Avenue after he crossed the yellow line into the oncoming lane of traffic. He failed sobriety tests and was arrested and taken to headquarters where he was found to have a blood alcohol level of .29%.
Pedestrian Hit: Michael Chen, age 39 of Fort Hill Road Scarsdale, was hit by the passenger side view mirror of a car around 7 pm on 11/17. He had just gotten off the bus and was walking home when the car struck his left hip and elbow. The driver did not stop.
On the night of 11/17, a security officers at Marshalls reported that three men were shopping in the store for about an hour when a cab pulled up and the three fled the store with merchandise still on it’s hangers. The Marshall’s employees only realized what happened when the unpaid merchandise activated the door sensors.
Arrest: A 17 year-old Woodlands High School boy was found drinking with another boy behind TJ Maxx on Central Avenue on the afternoon of 11/19. Police found the boy’s friend semi-conscious due to overconsumption. He was taken to White Plains Hospital for treatment. The Woodlands High School student was found with a small bag of marijuana and he was arrested for unlawful possession.
Another Week Another Burglary
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Another week and another breakin. This one was on Crossway during the day on 11/23. The thieves entered the house by prying open a bathroom window in the back of the house. They rummaged through the master bedroom and closets and stole $500 in cash from a night table drawer. Though they went through a second bedroom, the medicine cabinet in the bathroom as well as cabinets in the living room and office, nothing else was stolen. It is believed they left through a rear sliding door.
Suspicious: At 1:16 am on 11/23 a private security man who was watching a Cushman Road home reported three suspicious people to the Scarsdale Police. Two men dressed in dark clothing and hoodies and a woman were spotted when the two men started to walk up the driveway of the house. When they were stopped, the woman claimed she was “just showing her two friends this house.” The two men appeared to be nervous and concealed their faces. The suspects got back into their car and drove away. Using the license plate number of the car, White Plains police tracked the car owners address and found that there was a criminal history for the occupants of the home. Police searched the area but were unable to find the car.
Death: Irving Kestenbaum, age 94 of Palmer Avenue passed away at 11:18 pm on November 24th. A home health care aide discovered that Mr. Kestenbaum had died and reported the death to his son, Michael Kestenbaum.
Disputes: A Nelson Road woman complained that she was being harassed by another woman -- with whom she once had a relationship. The harasser was sending her aggressive and controlling text message, demanding to see her and threatening to come to her home and advise her family about their relationship. She also contacted the complainants’ son on Facebook to tell him about her relationship with his mother. Police advised her to keep all communications on a disc and she charged the offender with aggravated harassment.
At 11:45 am on 11/22 police were called about a dispute between a Visiting Nurse and a potential client on Mamaroneck Road who needs services. There was no fight.
Carol Tekel of Suffern came to a Tunstall Road home on 11/23 to ask for money and called police claiming that the resident punched her. However, when police arrived they found that Ms. Tekel was trying to extort money from the Scarsdale resident to help her “get back on her feet.” The Scarsdale resident pushed her away from the front door, as he did not want to give her additional money and wanted her to leave.
A Manhattan man came to police on 11/25 to complain that his wife would not permit him to pick up his children and limited his visit to three hours. He called his attorney and wanted to document the incident.
Kids: Police were called to break up a large group of youths at the Edgewood School at 11:51 pm on 11/23. Police found a group of college freshman who were home for Thanksgiving and the students agreed to leave the school. Another group of noisy kids was reported at the corner of Oxford and Greendale Roads at 12:29 on 11/24.
At 2 am on 11/24, police were called when four kids were sitting in a car playing loud music. Police told the kids to go home.
More noise was reported on Jefferson Road at 2 am on 11/25. Police went to the house where people were congregated outside and asked the resident to move the party inside.
At 10:40 pm on 11/24 police found three boys sitting in a car at the entrance to Corell Park. Police conducted a motor vehicle stop and smelled marijuana, but they did not find any illegal substances in the car.
Police were called about a fight on Boulevard at 12:45 am on 11/28. A Scarsdale boy was having a verbal dispute with his ex-girlfriend who did not want to see him anymore. When police arrived, the boy agreed not to contact the girl and he was released to his parents.
Lost: A Richbell Road woman came to police headquarters on the morning of 11/22 to report that someone took her $40,000 diamond earrings.
A White Plains woman called police at 8 pm on 11/22 to report that she lost her pocketbook and briefcase when she took a Scarsdale taxicab to her home in White Plains from the station. The dispatcher had the cab driver check the car
But she did not find the missing items. Police advised the woman to cancel her credit cards and follow up with motor vehicles. However, at 11:04 pm the woman called back to say that both her purse and briefcase had been returned to her.
Found: A set of keys on an orange and blue New York Knicks lanyard was found on Aspen Road. Keys to an Acura were attached. The keys were turned into police on the night of 11/26.
Park Road residents found construction materials around their pool on 11/23. They asked for additional ride-bys to their home.
Accidents: On Monday morning 11/29, a 26 year-old White Plains woman lost control of her 1996 Pontiac when she was driving south on the Post Road. She attempted to change lanes near Huntington, and instead hit a pole with a stop light. She damaged the pole, the light and a street sign and was injured. The Post Road had to be closed, her car was towed and police, the fire department and SCARVAC were called. She was taken to White Plains hospital for treatment and issued a summons for driving without a license. As it was 7:57 am traffic was snared.
A Dickel Road boy was backing a 2010 Lexus out of the driveway when he hit the gas pedal and backed into a tree at 1 am on 12/28.
Concetta Ambrose, age 64 of White Plains was hit by a car as she was crossing the street at the intersection of Freightway and Garth Road. The woman’s foot was hit and cut and she was taken to White Plains hospital. The driver did not stop.
A crossing guard at the Edgewood School reported that a car almost ran him over at noon on 11/24. Police gave the driver a summons for disobeying traffic control.
Animals: A Shawnee Road woman was out walking her dog on the afternoon of 11/25 when another dog that was not on his leash bit her dog. Police spoke to the owner of the dog who was not on the leash and he was very apologetic. They warned the man that if he did not keep the dog on a leash he would be given a summons.
A limping coyote was reported at 159 Brite Avenue at 8:30 am on 11/23.
From the Greenburgh Police:
Busted: Police noticed something suspicious about a car that was parked at a gas station at 775 South Central Park Avenue on 11/26 at 10 pm. Police approached the Toyota 4Runner and ordered the occupants out of the car. Inside the car, police found a hypodermic needed, and three glassine envelopes containing heroin. A 23 year-old man from Ossining, a 29 year-old man from Pennsylvania and a 19 year-old girl from Cortlandt Manor were taken to headquarters and arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance and the hypodermic needle.
Thefts: An unidentified man came into Fantastic Sams barbershop on Central Avenue on the evening of 11/22 and snatched $135 from the register as the manager was making change. The man was described to be in his early twenties, approximately 150 pounds, with a black beard and he was wearing a ski hat, black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Police were unable to locate him.
On 11/27 residents of Robin Hill Road in Scarsdale reported that a laptop computer was stolen from their dining room table while they were away for Thanksgiving. Their son had been staying at the house and had friends coming in and out of the house during the weekend.
Disputes: A Hartsdale woman got into a fight with man who was unloading boxes at her apartment building on High Point Drive at 11 pm on 11/23. When the woman found the outside door propped open she closed it and the man yelled at her saying “Can’t you see I am unloading boxes here?” The man called her a “Fxxxx bitch” and eventually rode off in a black Mercedes Benz truck. The woman did not recognize man and wondered if he was a resident.
On 11/23, Leo Kaden, age 82 of Hartsdale reported being harassed by a former business associate who wanted Kaden to settle a court case. When Kaden refused, the man threatened Kaden’s life and family.
Jorges Borges of Greenwich had a fight with Amir Eatemadpour of Scarsdale when Borges went to Eatemadpour’s Central Avenue office to collect an overdue payment on the afternoon of 11/27. Eatemadpour was not happy with the work and refused to pay in full. The two men had a verbal dispute, which ended up in a physical fight. As a result, Borges tripped and cut his hand.
Accidents: A metal pulley broke free from a telephone pole at the intersection of Hartsdale and Dobbs Ferry Roads at 10 pm on 11/23. A Carmel man was driving his Jetta there when it was suddenly hit by the swinging pulley. The pulley caused a large dent to the hood of the car and damaged the driver’s side mirror. The telephone pole was located in an area that is currently undergoing work by a Con Ed subcontractor.
On the afternoon of 11/28 a Sleepy’s delivery truck damaged the rear exit lever of the gate at 15 Club House Lane in Hartsdale. Sleepy’s said they would investigate with the truck company with whom they contract to make deliveries.
Crime Spree
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Burglars continued to prey on Scarsdale this week: Another home in the Grange was burglarized after midnight on November 12th. The residents were away, and their adult daughter reported the incident the following day. Suspects broke a glass panel of a rear door with a brick or a foot and entered the Park Road home. They went upstairs to the master bedroom, rifled the drawers and forced open a locked master bedroom closet door, either by kicking it or using a shoulder to dislodge it. The door and the doorframe were broken.
Inside the closet they went through drawers and jewelry boxes and stole the majority of the contents. The exited the house through the same door they had entered, leaving the door ajar. The residents will compile a list of the missing items for the report.
Car break-ins: During the night of 11/8-11/9 car thieves went on a spree, breaking car windows and stealing whatever they could find.
The following incidents were reported:
- On Cushman Road, the passenger side window of a 2007 Toyota was vandalized. Though nothing was stolen, a canvas bag with papers inside was found near the edge of the property. At another Cushman Road home, the passenger side window of a 2010 Volkswagen was broken and $20 and an iPod were taken.
- On Fairview Road the passenger side window of a 2002 Ford Explorer was broken and a Louis Vuitton handbag containing a wallet, eyeglasses, contact lenses, credit cards and identification cards were stolen.
- On Mamaroneck Road, the passenger side window of a 2001 Lexus was broken and a navigation system and sunglasses were taken.
- On Sheldrake Road, two cars were hit at one address– a Jeep Wrangler and a 2004 Toyota 4-Runner. Though the Jeep was not damaged the owner believes property was taken from it. The 4-runner had a broken driver’s side window, and a Garmin nav and $60 in cash were missing. At another Sheldrake Road home a small window of a 1995 Toyota Landcruiser was broken, though nothing was taken.
Residents are advised to keep their cars in the garage and to remove all belongings from cars left outside overnight.
Thefts: A Fox Meadow Road man reported that an envelope containing $12,500 was stolen from his safe deposit box at the Chase Bank on East Parkway in Scarsdale. He discovered the missing funds on November 4th and nothing else was missing from the box. He inspected the signature card on file at the bank and found that no unauthorized people had accessed the box.
On 11/10, a Wayside Lane woman left her sunglasses in the bathroom at Fenway Golf Club. When she went back to get them, they were gone. Also at Fenway Golf Club, police were called when a drunk disorderly man was disruptive at 10 pm on Saturday night 11/13.
Accidents: Boy Hit By Car: On Saturday afternoon November 13, a 17 year-old New Rochelle boy was crossing Weaver Street when he was hit by a car driven by a Weaver Street resident. The driver had a green light and was turning left off Stratton Road onto Weaver Street when he struck the boy who was crossing Weaver Street to Stratton Road. SVAC was called, but the extent of the boy’s injuries was not reported.
A Rectory Lane man was parked in the Shell Gas Station on Scarsdale Avenue with his two children in the car on Monday afternoon 11/8 when his car was hit by another car entering the gas station. The second car was driven by an 86 year-old Scarsdale woman who says that her brakes failed to work. The woman complained of chest pain but refused to be taken to the hospital. The man and two children in the other car were taken to White Plains hospital for treatment.
A Mahopac man called police at 4:46 pm on 11/8 when his front and rear driver’s side tires were damaged when the car hit a median near Dunkin Donuts on Weaver Street. He reported that a white Honda passed him on the right and forced his car into the median, causing two flat tires. However when police spoke to several construction workers who had witnessed the incident, the witnesses said they had seen the man hit the median but no other cars were nearby. They pointed out that the road was too narrow to accommodate two cars and the driver’s account of the story was not possible.
Fight: A Bell Road man reported that he was shoved and slapped by a friend who was visiting him on the night of November 13th. He did not wish the police to pursue the matter but wanted to file a report.
Smoke: Police and Firemen responded to a smoke alarm activated at Scarsdale Hardware Store at 9 pm on 11/12. Faulty electrical equipment was causing the smoke and the storeowners were notified.
Animals: A Greenacres resident found a lost brown and white spaniel on Post Road on the afternoon of 11/8. Police took the dog to headquarters and the New Rochelle Humane Society picked it up.
Another lost dog found on Cushman Road on 11/14 was returned to its owner.
Coyotes: Two coyotes were reported to be fighting on the lawn of a home on Boulevard at 11:45 pm on 11/8. They were gone by the time police arrived.
Another coyote was reported at Westchester Reform Temple on the morning of 11/10.
Flying Onions and a Baseball Bat: From the Greenburgh Police
Shtjefn Saljanin of Tuckahoe was driving his 2010 Toyota on Fort Hill Road around noon on 11/9, when his car was stopped by a Bronx man who blocked both sides of Fort Hill Road with his car, preventing Saljanin from proceeding. To get away, Saljanin reversed into an open street and Fabian Rigan, age 28 of the Bronx got out of his car with a baseball bat and struck Saljanin’s car, damaging the driver side front and rear doors. Rigan claimed he hit Saljanin’s car because Saljanin had cut him off earlier.
Harrassed: A woman who lives in an apartment on Sentry Place in Edgemont came to the police on 11/10 to complain that she of harassment from her neighbor. She found her neighbor standing with his ear pressed to her front door in the middle of the night and when she asked him what he was doing he said, he “hears everything she does, and she is the reason he is unable to sell his apartment.” At another time he banged on her door to complain he could hear her daughter speaking on the phone. Recently, the neighbor rented his apartment to a friend who has been stalking and harassing her by constantly opening his door as she walks down the steps. The woman feels unsafe in her home.
Shoplifter: Karen Andria Henry, age 36 of White Plains was caught stealing a wallet and a handbag at Marshalls by the Marshalls security officer on the afternoon of 11/11. When police arrived they also found stolen items from CVS in her bag. The merchandise was returned to CVS and Henry was taken to headquarters for booking.
Neither store security or the police could stop a man who walked into Best Buy at 10 pm on 11/9 and left with two Canon cameras concealed under his jacket. He fled in a silver Ford Taurus and police were unable to locate the car.
Break-in: There was an attempted entry of a home on Shaw Place in Hartsdale on the afternoon of 11/12. The mailman found the front door of the house open and saw two men sitting in an old car with tinted windows in front of the house. When police arrived they found that basement windows and the dryer vent had been removed. When the resident arrived she confirmed that the windows were removed but everything else was in place.
Missing: A Central Avenue woman reported that her wedding band, two rings and a gold watch, valued at $3,450 were missing from her apartment, on 11/13. She believes that the jewelry was stolen when she left the apartment briefly to walk her dog.
Flying Onions: During the night of 11/14, an unknown item was thrown through the front window of a home on Inwood Road in Scarsdale. The item created a 3 inch hole and broke a lamp. An onion skin was found on the far side of the living room. A neighbor reported hearing a loud bang at 5:30 am.