Stay-at-home Dad slashes mom, two kids (Staten Island, New York)

Police say dad DOUGLAS NEMETH slashed the necks of his girlfriend and their two children (ages 18 months and 3 years). They are all hospitalized in serious condition. Notice that Nemeth was a stay-at-home dad ("He took care of the kids") who had been unemployed for at least 2 years. Also note that Mom was supporting the family on a teacher's salary, while Daddy manages to convince the neighbors he was "nice" and not a lazy layabout with a "temper problem" who had no problem slashing people's throats and creating police standoffs.

When are we going to stop quoting the Clueless Neighbors?

http://www.silive.com/eastshore/index.ssf/2010/08/father_in_midland_beach_slashe.html

Staten Island father slashes his family, then kills himself
Published: Monday, August 09, 2010, 1:07 AM
Updated: Monday, August 09, 2010, 12:55 PM
John M. Annese

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An out-of-work dad went berserk inside his Midland Beach townhouse last night, slashing the necks of his girlfriend and their two young children before killing himself by slitting his throat, police said.

Victoria Orlik and her 3-year-old daughter, Sasha. Their necks slashed, they are in serious condition at Staten Island University Hospital.

The mother and two children were listed in serious condition in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, this morning, police said. A hospital spokesman declined to provide an update on their condition.

The grisly scene unfolded at 110 Hempstead Ave., just off Capodanno Boulevard, about 7:40 p.m.

Police responding to a call of a dispute involving a knife arrived to see the 34-year-old mother — identified by neighbors as Victoria Orlik — and her 18-month-old son outside, their necks slashed.

Inside were the father — identified by sources as Douglas Nemeth, 41, a chiropractor — and their 3-year-old daughter, who neighbors said is named Sasha.

Police wearing riot gear swarmed the three-story townhouse as an NYPD helicopter hovered and close to 100 people watched from across Capodanno Boulevard.

Failing to make contact with Nemeth, they broke down the front door with a battering ram. They found Sasha in a front bedroom on the top floor, her neck slashed, and Nemeth in the kitchen, his neck slashed as well.

He was pronounced dead in the hospital just after 9 p.m.

"She [is] a very sweet lady. I never expected for this to happen," said family friend Konstantin (Chris) Mitkin. Mitkin, who arrived at the scene shortly after 10 p.m., said he had come from the hospital, where one of the children was undergoing emergency surgery.

Mitkin said Nemeth had been jobless for at least two years; Ms. Orlik, a teacher, was the breadwinner.

"My mom told me he had a temper problem," Mitkin said.

Another friend and neighbor, Anna Ogurtsova described the couple as "happily married," though a police source referred to Nemeth as a "common-law" husband. Ms. Ogurtsova said they had been looking for a rabbi several years back to officiate at a ceremony.

Nemeth, who had worked as a chiropractor in Tunbridge, Vt., lived there with Ms. Orlik about five years ago, neighbors said.

Public records show Nemeth also had a chiropractic office in Brooklyn, and that his license had expired in May 2008.

Ms. Orlik moved to Midland Beach about three years ago, neighbors said. It wasn’t clear when Nemeth followed, though Ms. Ogurtsova said the two had lived together for the past few years while Ms. Orlik worked as a teacher at an elementary school on the Island.

"He took care of the kids," Ms. Ogurtsova said.

Ms. Orlik’s Facebook.com page states she graduated from Hofstra University in 2000, where she studied early childhood special education, and that she works as a teacher for the city Department of Education.

"He was usually happy. He was a nice neighbor. He always says, ‘Hi, how are you,’" Ms. Ogurtsova said.

Other neighbors said they were stunned by the violent turn of events.

"It was a very nice family," said Mariya Galelina.

The carnage follows on the heels of a July 22 murder-suicide-arson in Port Richmond that left a mother and her four children dead. Police believe the mother, Leisa Jones, 30, slashed the throats of her oldest children, Ramoy (C.J.) Raymond, 14; Brittney L. Jones, 10, and Melonie Jones, 7, then set her Nicholas Avenue apartment ablaze. She and her youngest child, Jermaine Sinclair Jr., 2, died of smoke inhalation.

Mitkin, the friend of Ms. Orlik, said he wishes that Nemeth had survived "so he could spend the rest of his life in jail." ¶