Facing foreclosure, Taunton woman commits suicide

July 23, 2008 12:17 PM Email| Comments (5)| Text size – +

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

TAUNTON -- The housing crunch has caused anguish and anxiety for millions of Americans. For Carlene Balderrama, a 53-year-old wife and mother, the pressure was apparently too much to bear.

Police say that Balderrama shot herself Tuesday afternoon 90 minutes before her foreclosed home on Duffy Drive was scheduled to be sold at auction. Chief Raymond O'Berg said that Balderrama faxed a letter to her mortgage company at 2:30 p.m., telling them that "by the time they foreclosed on the house today she'd be dead."

The mortgage company notified police, who found her body at 3:30 p.m. The auction had been scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Balderrama used her husband's high-powered rifle, O'Berg said.

She left a note for her family saying they should "take the [life] insurance money and pay for the house," O'Berg said.

Neighbors on this forested side street said Balderrama had lived in the two-story, brown-shingled, raised ranch for about four years with her husband, John, who is a plumber, and their 24-year-old son.

Joe Whitney, who works with her husband, said that Balderrama handled the bills in the household and that the husband was unaware of the foreclosure.

"John didn't even know about it, that's the surprise," Whitney said outside the home, where he had come to comfort the family. "It's just one of those awful, awful tragic events."

Noreen Mendes said she often spoke to Balderrama on her morning walks on Duffy Drive and described her as "quiet and sweet."

"I never would have guessed that she had any problems whatsoever," Mendes said. "All I can do this morning is pray and pray and pray."

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5 comments so far...

Another bank murders another homeowner....and apparently isn't even bothered by it! To the pits with them all!!!!

Posted by Scott November 12, 08 03:52 PM

lol whatever!

Perhaps she shouldn't have been a typical American and not got so deeply in debt.... OH or she could have TALKED to her family and perhaps they ALL could have found a solution.....

I hope the insurance company doesn't pay out on a suicide... that would be sweet sweet poetic justice.

Lawrence

Posted by Lawrence December 25, 08 07:21 AM

Lawrence,
Did you ever stop and think that maybe, just maybe, there were extenuating circumstances that caused the family to fall behind on their mortgage?

Perhaps there was a sick child that needed medical attention that maybe wasn't mentioned in this story. Perhaps they have taken pay cuts due to their employer's cutbacks.
My point is, not all foreclosures are caused by those who bought houses when they shouldn't have. Just wait, your time is coming. Be careful in what you say.

Posted by Amy in NC January 4, 09 06:54 PM

With the economic so bad, and debt rising, I could understand why she may have killed herself. Many people do not share their personal problems. There is help out their, they just need to reach out. She was very concerned for her families well being. Yes, it was the wrong way to handle the situation, and this is where communication would come in. Why was she so afraid to talk to her spouse, our of fear!, etc.

Posted by Noelia Soto March 1, 09 12:20 PM

The United states of America has victimized so many people! We are not the the country we use to be! We have allowed greed to go unchecked, hardworking individuals have lost life savings, CEO's have millions, while the sudbordinates lose homes, commit suicide, live in depression, depend on drugs with dangerous side-affects, and have lost confidence in a country that once represented hope.
We dress up confusion and call it an "alternative life-style" as we open the door for more sickness and contamination. We need to pray for Change!!

Posted by A Marcus April 9, 09 09:53 AM