According to the Phoenix New Times, witnesses note that Carol Gotbaum was violently tackled to the floor and handled without care. The New York Times adds that the police officers cuffed Gotbaum’s hands and placed them behind her back. Gotbaum resisted and was taken to a holding cell. There, HuffPost writes that she was shackled to the wall by a chain and left alone. By all accounts, Gotbaum was emotionally distraught by this incident and continued to scream. When she fell silent, the police entered the cell only to find that Carol Gotbaum had died. She had only been in there for six to eight minutes before tragedy struck (per The New York Times).
Per NBC News, the authorities also failed to notify Noah about his wife’s death for hours. The Standard-Times reports that Gotbaum’s cause of death was unclear at first. However, an autopsy later revealed that she died “as a result of asphyxia by hanging” (via another article from the Phoenix New Times). Moreover, the medical examiner, Ann L. Bucholtz, noted that “contributing factors were acute ethanol and prescription medication intoxication.” She concluded that Gotbaum’s death was accidental but did not give an explanation for how Gotbaum managed to hang herself. Taking all of these factors into consideration, Noah decided to take legal action.
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If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
