Veterans call for better mental health care as suicide rates climb
Concerned Veterans for America deputy director John Byrnes shared the need for elevated mental health care for military veterans.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
A troubled Florida firefighter killed his wife in a murder-suicide weeks after she had written on Facebook that his punishing work schedule had been pushing him to the brink.
St. Johns County Fire Rescue Lieutenant Shawn Yarbrough fired at his spouse, Andrea Yarbrough, 34, inside their St. Augustine home in northeast Florida.
Yarbrough then turned the gun on himself, and deputies later found the pair dead in an upstairs bathroom after 9 p.m. on June 13, according to an incident report.
The couple, who had been married for a year, had a blended family of four children.
Florida firefighter Shawn Yarbrough fatally shot his wife, Andrea Yarbrough, before turning the gun on himself on June 13. (Facebook)
Deputies were initially called to the home for a welfare check after Andrea's mother couldn't reach her.
On May 31, Andrea made a Facebook post showing the monthly activity logs for her husband's department, which included 3,203 calls for service.
"This is why all of our significant others are exhausted and never functioning 100% at home," she wrote alongside the image.
Almost one month later, both she and her husband were dead.
The devoted mother, who worked as a financial manager, posted three times to Facebook after sounding the alarm on his working conditions, presenting images of their family in seemingly high spirits.
GIRL SURVIVES FLORIDA SHARK ATTACK AFTER VACATIONING DOCTOR SAW BLOOD IN WATER AND REACTED
Andrea Yarbrough posted a log of service calls to Facebook weeks before her firefighter husband killed her in a murder-suicide. (Facebook)
She had an 11-year-old daughter from a prior relationship, and he had three sons.
"She loved those boys and wanted the best for them," Andrea's mother, Debbie Churchill, told Fox News Digital. "It’s all very confusing and hard right now. I can’t explain it. I don’t even know how. It’s something that no one can understand unless they've been through it."
Andrea's younger sister, Olivia Marvin, told local outlet Action Jax that her sibling had been optimistic about her life prior to the shocking explosion of violence.
"We are so crushed," she said. "We thought everything was finally coming together. She was so proud of all her children and what they were doing. She always strived and wanted the best for everyone."
Florida firefighter Shawn Yarbrough killed his wife in a murder-suicide on June 13. (Facebook)
Yarbrough's boss, St. Johns County Fire Rescue Chief Sean McGee, addressed the murder-suicide in a Facebook post.
"The recently reported events were unexpected, shocking, and tragic for all those affected," he said. "As a department, we are profoundly saddened by the loss of life, recognizing its enduring impact on the families and children of those affected."
Suicides have long plagued emergency response departments across the nation.
More first responders die each year from suicide than in the line of duty, according to a report from the Ruderman Family Foundation.
Roughly 1,200 police and corrections officers killed themselves from 2016 to 2022, according to a report by the nonprofit FirstHelp organization.
St. Johns County Fire Rescue Lt. Shawn Yarbrough killed his wife, Andrea Yarbrough, in a murder suicide on June 13. (Facebook )
Last year, 122 police officers, 25 firefighters and 10 correctional workers ended their own lives, according to the group.
Psychologist Katherine Kulhman, who specializes in care for first responders, said many afflicted police and firefighters shy away from mental health services that could prevent tragic outcomes.
"There has always been a stigma around mental health in fire service, in law enforcement," she told Fox News Digital. "Because they are the heroes, they are supposed to be the people who are helping other people … It feels like they’re admitting weakness if they feel something’s wrong."
Kulhman said firefighters in particular face overwhelming stress and pressure over the course of their careers.
"There is high exposure to trauma, and there’s little time after a dramatic call for a person to process the trauma and cope with it before they’re on to the next shift, on to the next call. For first responders, trauma accumulates over time," she said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE TRUE CRIME FROM FOX NEWS
Florida firefighter Shawn Yarbrough and Andrea Yarbrough had been married for about a year when he killed her in a murder-suicide. (Facebook)
The same underlying mental health stressors that lead to suicide also contribute to murder-suicides, Kuhlman added.
There are roughly 600 murder-suicides across the nation each year, according to the Violence Policy Center.
A family member set up a GoFundMe for Yarbrough's daughter that has raised over $10,000.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Marvin told Action Jax that her sister was a resilient and hardy soul, no matter how challenging her circumstances.
"Andrea meant the world to everyone in our family and everyone she encountered," Marvin said. "Anyone who knew her knew she’d never give up, no matter how hard things got."
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
