Dad murders mom, offs self; leaves bodies for kids to find (North Bellmore, New York)

This is a typical media attempt at papering over male violence. We vaguely blame these deaths on "marital problems" or "legal issues," when those weren't the causes at all.  The real problem was a violent self-centered @$$ of a father who had a knife and decided to use it against another human being. A daddy who had no problem stabbing the mother of his children to death. Or in leaving the bloody bodies for the newly motherless kids to find and report to the authorities.

This is the problem with child abuse statistics. An incident like this is not recorded as an incident of child abuse. While a New Jersey mom who takes her 5-year-old daughter to a tanning salon is. Moms get dinged for merely being dumb, dads get a pass even in cases of the most violent and bloody murders.

The father is identified as THOMAS HAYES.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/02/police-children-find-parents-dead-in-north-bellmore-home-in-apparent-murder-suicide/

Police: Children Find Parents Dead In North Bellmore Home In Apparent Murder-Suicide
May 2, 2012 1:07 PM

NORTH BELLMORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A couple found dead in their North Bellmore home had been going through marital and legal issues, police said.

Four children returning home from school around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday found their mother, 44-year-old Sherrelle Hayes, stabbed to death in the kitchen, police said.

The oldest child, a 13-year-old girl, ran from the Smith Avenue home screaming, “Mommy’s dead,” WCBS 880′s Mike Xirinachs reports.

Investigators arrived at the scene and found the children’s father, 43-year-old Thomas Hayes, dead in an upstairs bedroom, police said.

Officials believe Hayes stabbed his wife to death and then hanged himself.

Before the bodies were discovered, the couple’s oldest child had apparently come home alone and spoke to her father through a locked door.

The father told her to get her younger siblings and when the children returned they found a note on the door, saying “Mom and dad are hurt, please call 911,” CBS 2′s Carolyn Gusoff reported.

Neighbors are shocked over the tragedy, saying there was no sign of a problem between the couple.

“They were a great family,” one man said. “Great kids, a great couple. It’s very sad what took place here. Great people. It’s so sad.”

The couple was having marital problems and police said neighbors reported hearing them arguing Tuesday morning around 9 a.m.

Det. Sgt. Greg Leismeister said Hayes, a construction engineer in Manhattan, was also facing jail time in a federal grand larceny case.

The children — ages 7, 9, 10 and 13 — are now staying with relatives.