Chapter 6

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9:36 am

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With Angela's permission we traced where her sister had made the call. It was from a local motel. Angela said that her sister, Sandra, had apparently swallowed some sleeping pills. She was most likely still in this motel room, even if she had left she couldn't walk very fast at the moment. We rushed over to this motel, and we brought Angela. Hopefully she could help her sister in ways that Bill and I couldn't. We also called 911, and they would send an ambulance. If it had been less than two hours since Angela swallowed the sleeping pills, they could save her by pumping her stomach. On the way to the motel we asked Angela about her sister, why she might do this.

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Angela: Sandra had a good life. She was a teacher, has a husband, two kids.

Joe: You said "Was a teacher."

Angela: She was fired last week. They found out she was seeking treatment.

Bill: Treatment for what?

Angela: She has, urges, but she's never acted on them. The school found out, and fired her. Her husband found out, and they're having problems because of it. Sandra was doing the responsible thing, trying to get help and harm noone. Does it really matter what she thinks about?

Joe: It might come up.

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9:42 am

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We arrived at the motel. We explained to the desk clerk what the situation was and he gave us the key to Sandra's room. She was here, vomiting. It's a common myth that if you take enough sleeping pills you simply fall asleep and never wake up. This method typically involves vomiting and uncontrollable shaking.

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Angela: Sandra?

Sandra: Leave me alone.

Angela: The ambulance is on its way.

Sandra: I don't deserve to live. Did you tell these cops what I am?

Angela: No.

Sandra: I'm a pedophile.

Angela: But you were doing so well in therapy.

Sandra: They say I can't be trusted around children, not even my own. I'll die before I do that to a child.

Angela: You don't have to die. I'm here for you. Please, just let the ambulance save your life.

Sandra: Okay, I'll try to do better.

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9:48

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The ambulance arrived and was able to pump Angela's stomach. It seemed she would live, for now.