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It is pointed out that a father in his 40s who had to support an elderly woman suffering from depression and a son with a disability must pay attention to the mental health of the caregiver while making extreme choices with them.



According to the Damyang Police Station in Jeollanam-do, on the 14th, at around 7:08 am on the 14th, a man in his 40s, his mother (80), and his son (13) were found dead in the parking lot of a company in Damyang-gun.



Before making the extreme choice, Mr. A is known to have delivered a message to his family to the effect that caring for a mother with depression and a child with a disability is difficult.



Mr. A, who started a family in Incheon, was in a situation where he had to take responsibility for his mother, who suffered severe depression due to the death of his older brother a year ago.



However, it was reported that Mr. A was also suffering from depression because it was not easy to even take care of his already disabled son.



In the end, the police estimate that Mr. A visited his mother's house in Buk-gu, Gwangju with his disabled son on the 13th, and made an extreme choice the next day near the business that his brother operated while he was alive.



After confirming the cause of death of the mother and son with no trauma found through an autopsy, the police plan to close the case with no right to prosecute.



In June of last year, a son with a developmental disability and his mother were found dead on a bicycle road in Imgok-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju after making an extreme choice in a vehicle.



In this regard, experts point out that there is a need for social and institutional mechanisms that can alleviate even some of the extreme burden of caring.



Choi In-gwan, secretary general of the Gwangju Disabled Parents' Solidarity, said, "There are a lot of parents of disabled children, including children with severe challenges, who think of extreme choices due to the burden of care. If I had received psychological counseling for such a situation, I might not have thought to the extreme.”



He also emphasized that "there is an urgent need for related projects and support so that the psychological and physical rest necessary for the caregivers can be achieved." 



※ If you have difficulties in speaking, such as depression, or if you have family members or acquaintances who are experiencing these difficulties, Suicide Prevention Counseling Line ☎ 1393, Mental Health Counseling Line ☎1577-0199, Hope Line ☎ 129, Lifeline ☎ 1588-9191, Youth Phone ☎ 1388, Youth Mobile Counseling You can receive expert advice 24 hours a day through the 'Dog Who Will Listen' app and Kakao Talk.



(Photo = Yonhap News)