Front-Line Doctor Takes Her Own Life In Charlottesville: Police

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Dr. Lorna Breen, a doctor in New York City, died in Charlottesville Sunday from self-inflicted injuries, the Charlottesville Police Department said Monday. Breen was medical director of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital in Manhattan.

On Sunday, Charlottesville Police Department officers responded to a call for medical assistance in the 1800 block of Winston Road. The victim, identified as Breen, was taken to UVA Hospital for treatment where she later died from self-inflicted injuries, the police said.

Breen, 49, had fallen ill with the coronavirus during the course of her work at the New York City hospital. She returned to the job after about a week-and-a-half of recuperating, her father told the New York Times. But she reportedly later went to stay with her parents in Charlottesville to take a break from the front lines.

Her father told the Times that his daughter had had no history of mental illness but had seemed "detached." She told him how COVID-19 patients were dying at her hospital in New York before they could even be removed from ambulances. "She was truly in the trenches on the front line," her father told the Times.

As of Monday, New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus was 16,936, with 156,100 confirmed cases and 40,050 people hospitalized. As of April 7, there had been 59 patient deaths at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital where Breen worked, the Times reported.

In its statement, the Charlottesville Police Department extended its condolences to the family and friends of Breen.

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”Frontline healthcare professionals and first responders are not immune to the mental or physical effects of the current pandemic," Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney said Monday in a statement. "On a daily basis, these professionals operate under the most stressful of circumstances, and the coronavirus has introduced additional stressors."

Personal protective equipment can reduce the likelihood of being infected, the Charlottessvile police said in the statement. But what PPE "cannot protect heroes like Dr. Lorna Breen, or our first responders against is the emotional and mental devastation caused by this disease," Brackney added.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). It’s a free, 24/7 service that offers support, information, and local resources.

Depression and suicidal thoughts are often exhibited in many ways. Warning signs for suicide can include, but are not limited to, talking about wanting to die; conveying feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or being a burden; and displaying extreme moods.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention advises that you do not leave the person alone, call a prevention hotline, and take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.

Local Resources

• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board - 703-573-5679
• Alexandria Emergency Mental Health Services - 703-746-3401
• Loudoun Mental Health Emergency - 703-777-0320
• Prince William County Emergency Services Division - 703-792-7800 in Manassas and 703-792-4900 in Woodbridge
• Rappahannock Area Community Services Board emergency therapist - 540-373-6876
• PRS CrisisLink hotline - 1-800-273-TALK

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