By Alex Thomson
Crime scene cleanup or trauma scene cleanup after the death of someone either violently or naturally is by and large the responsibility of the victim’s family. Even till few years ago, there were a handful of cleaning companies that specialized in trauma cleaning service. But today this niche service has emerged as a lucrative business and there are many companies who provide this service.
Trauma cleaning service requires special experience, skills, equipment and expertise to deal with different types of bio-hazardous waste and dispose them efficiently with the minimum possible emotional stress to the victim’s family.
The most traumatic form of death is violent death and leaves the victim’s family feeling both victimized and traumatized. Coming to terms with the unnatural death of a loved one is in itself an uphill task for the bereaved family, and to top it they have to deal with other practical matters like making funeral arrangements, dealing with insurance issues, contacting surviving family and friends and locating wills. Furthermore, in case of violent crimes the police and the media are also involved. This can really overwhelm any family. Here is where trauma cleaning service comes to your rescue. They lighten one of the heaviest burdens, that is of dealing with the horrid murder cleanup. They will take care of the crime scene cleanup, ensuring that the scene is restored to its pre-incidental state as far as possible and in the most quick and efficient manner thus allowing you to deal with other important matters. Most service providers work discreetly and protect the confidentiality of the sufferer and family.
Most of the times, the crime scenes are so ghastly that they can induce additional emotional trauma in victim’s friends and family. By hiring professionals for cleanup, you can reduce this emotional stress. Immediately after death the nature begins its process of breaking down the body. Unattended death scene and dead bodies can be dangerous as it gives rise to blood borne pathogens, mold spores and bacteria. You may try to clean the area by yourself but the exposure may result in flu-like diseases or direct attack on the respiratory system. So it is advisable to leave this job to professionals who specialize in bio fluid and blood remediation.
The total cost involving a trauma scene cleanup will depend on a number of factors. One of the most major factors is that how many technicians will be needed for the job, how long will the job take and the quantity of hazardous material that needs to be treated and disposed of. It can range anywhere in the range of $100 to $1000 per hour. Some people might call this business as capitalizing on death but it is still essential and indispensable in case of a death.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
biorecovery, blood cleanup, crime scene cleanup, death cleanup, trauma scene cleanup
A crime scene cleanup service is not without its complications. Crime scene cleaning encompasses restoring the crime scene to its original state. When a crime is usually discovered, crime scene cleaners are not called until after officers of the law, like the crime scene investigators, have done their jobs first and have given the go ahead for the cleaners to come in. If you intend to hire a crime scene cleanup company, you must make sure that they are well equipped and fit right to get the job done. A crime scene presents challenging conditions.
The Use Of Protective Gears:
Crime scenes can very well involve the use of hazardous or deadly substances. For safety reasons then, it has become imperative that crime scene cleaners use protective clothing, in addition to protective tools and gadgets. You must see to it that they have all the necessary protective gears and gadgets. The protective clothing can consist of disposable gloves and suits. A disposable gear is preferred nowadays since it offers the best protection against contamination. You use it one time and get rid of it. That way, the dangers of contamination is virtually brought down to zero percent. Protective clothing extends to respirators and the use of heavy-duty industrial or chemical-spill protective boots.
Among the gadgets that a crime scene cleaning company must have are special brushes, special sprayers, and wet vacuum. These special tools ensure added protection against getting into contact with the hazard could very well be present in the crime scene. There is large, special equipment such as a mounted steam injection tool that is designed to sanitize dried up biohazard materials such as scattered flesh and brain. You would also need to check if they have the specialized tank for chemical treatments and industrial strength waste containers to collect biohazard waste.
Of course, any crime scene clean up must have the usual cleaning supplies common to all cleaning service companies. There are the buckets, mops, brushes and spray bottles. For cleaning products, you should check if they use industrial cleaning products. A crime scene cleaning company must have these on their lists:
1 - Disinfectants including hydrogen peroxide and bleaches - The kinds that the hospitals used are commonly acceptable.
2 - Enzyme solvers for cleaning blood stains. It also kills viruses and bacteria.
3 - Odor removers such as foggers, ozone machines, and deodorizers
4 - Handy tools for breaking and extending such as saws, sledgehammers, and ladders
Established crime scene operators also equip themselves with cameras and take pictures of the crime scene before commencing work which. The pictures taken may prove useful for legal matters and insurance purposes. You never know which.
Needless to say, a specially fitted form of transportation and proper waste disposal is also needed. These requirements are specific. As you can imagine, crime scene cleaning is in a different category on its own. A home cleaning or janitorial service company may not be able to cope up with the demands of a crime scene. A crime scene cleanup service requires many special gears and tools that a home cleaning or a janitorial service company does not usually have or does not require. Crime scene cleaning if not done correctly can expose the public to untold hazards.
What Else To Look For In A Crime Scene Cleanup Company
You may also want to hire a company that has established itself. An experienced company with a strong reputation is always a plus but it could be expensive too. You will do well to balance your needs with what is your budget. There are several companies that offer specific prices such as for death scene clean up categories and suicide clean up categories. Most companies own a website and have round the clock customer service as receptionists.
When looking for a suitable crime scene cleaning service, among the first things you need to do is to scout for price quotes. Crime scene cleanup services usually provide quote after they have examined the crime scene and then they give you a definite quote. Factors that are usually considered include the number of personnel that will be needed to get the job done. It also includes the amount of time that might be needed. The nature and amount of the waste materials that need to be disposed will also be factored in. You can be sure that the more sophisticated equipments needed the more expensive it will get.
Crime Scene Cleanup And Your Insurance
For homeowners, the best approach is always to make sure that crime scene cleanup services clauses and provisions are written down on the contracts or policies. The inclusion of crime cleanup services clauses is very common and has become standard clause in most homeowner’s policy. Make sure that you are covered for this unforeseen event. Make sure that your policy directs the crime scene cleaning company to transact directly with the homeowner insurance company. A crime scene cleaning service is usually a standard clause in many homeowners’ insurance clause. These companies often do the paperwork in behalf of clients.
If for some reason you do not have such coverage by any policies relating to crime scene cleanup on your home, there are ways to keep your expenses controlled.
Finding the right company can be very taxing, especially that you have to deal with the emotional stress stemming from the crime itself, especially with a crime scene involving death.
There are many crime scene cleanup companies in operation nowadays. There are reliable professionals that you can hire and prices are relatively competitive. As of recently, crime-scene cleanup services can cost up to $600 for an hour of their service. A homicide case alone involving a single room and a huge amount of blood can cost about $1,000 to $3,000.
In recent years, crime scene cleaning has come to be known as, "Crime and Trauma Scene Decontamination or CTS. Basically, CTS is a special form of crime scene cleaning focusing on decontamination of the crime scene from hazardous substances such as those resulting from violent crimes or those involving chemical contaminations such as methamphetamine labs or anthrax production. This type of service is particularly common when violent crimes are committed in a home. It is rare that the residents move out of the home after it has become a scene of a crime. Most often, the residents just opt to have it cleaned up. That is why, it is very important to hire the best crime scene cleaning company out there. The place needs to be totally free from contamination of any kind. You have to make sure that the company is able to remove all traces of the violent crime that took place. This includes cleaning biohazards that are sometimes invisible to the untrained eye.
Legally speaking, federal laws state that all bodily fluids are deemed biohazards and you should make sure that the cleanup service company you hire understands this and includes it in the cleanup. These things appear as blood or tissue splattered on a crime scene. You must be able to hire a company that is equipped with special knowledge to safely handle biohazard materials. The company must have the knowledge what to search for in any give biohazard crime scene. For instance, the company should be able to tell clues such that if there is a bloodstain the size of a thumbnail on a carpet, you can bet that there is about a huge bloodstain underneath. Federal and State laws have their own laws in terms of transport and disposal of biohazard waste. Make sure that the company you hire has all the permits necessary.
It will also be a huge plus if you could hire people who not only has the special trainings but also who have the nature to be sympathetic. If you are close to the victim and have the cleaning done at the behest of the victim’s relatives, it would matter that the cleaners tread the site with some level of respect. It is a common site that family members and loved ones are often there at scene. In general, when looking for a suitable crime scene cleaners, you would take into considerations the kind of situation that the crimes scene presents and the demands that it require. Crime scene cleaning companies handle a wide variety of crime scenes and prices may vary from one to the other crime scene and one to the other company.
Each type of scene requires its own particular demands not only to make the crime scene look clean and neat on the surface but to make it germ free, and clean inside and to make it free from all deadly and infectious substances. The cleanup cost for biohazards may vary depending on degree of the bio hazard(s) on the scene. There may even be a category that changes the cleanup pricing which usually involves decomposing bodies and carcasses. Likewise, a cleanup of chemical hazards vary, depending on the amount of chemical hazards as well as the grades i.e. how hazardous the substance is in terms of human contact. Prices are also determined by the number of hours and personnel that it would to get the crime scene cleaned. In addition, the "gross factor" from crime scene involving death and gore needs to be taken under consideration regarding the chemicals that will be used as opposed to those crimes' that do not have gore involved.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Traumatic Grief
By Nancy Crump
Since the late 1980’s, we have seen an increase in interest and research on the effects of trauma on the grief process. We have learned that the grief process from the sudden, unexpected, and often violent deaths of suicide, homicide, auto accidents, natural disasters, and other types of deaths, is very different from the grief process of those who have died from natural causes, old age, or long-termed illness. Many, if not all, of the deaths faced by Bio Technicians fall into the category of traumatic. Those family members who hire you have usually been touched by the trauma of the death. Understanding the traumatic grief process and its differences from other types of grief may be of some help to you as you deal with these family members.
There are several key elements that make the responses by family members to a traumatic death difficult. First is the suddenness of the death. Family members usually did not have time to prepare themselves for the death and to make the psychological adjustments to cope with the news of the death. Also, the suddenness of the death does not give the family an opportunity to say goodbye to the victim before their death. Second, the violence of the death may leave the family with horrific memories and nightmares that often interfere with the grief process. Third, many of these types of deaths require police intervention and the family is often not given the support, information, and compassion they need at the time. Another element can be the presence of the media at the time of the death, as well as weeks and months later if legal issues follow the death. Most traumatic deaths involve young people who’s parents, grandparents, and siblings may still live. Certainly, the death of a child or young person is very difficult to cope with.
Reactions to a traumatic death can be very different, more intense, and longer lasting than other types of death. The emotions following a traumatic death are often conflicting and intense. There is a tendency to relive the death event over and over in an attempt to make it real. Intrusive thoughts and nightmares are very common. Intense physical responses such as inability to eat or sleep, stomach aches and headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure and a decrease in the autoimmune system are also common. Many times, the survivors must deal with intense feelings of guilt or remorse, feeling that they were somehow responsible or could have prevented the death “if only”. Family members have the need to tell the story of the death over and over again in an attempt to gain a sense of the reality of the death. They often have an overwhelming need to learn all they can about the circumstances of the death - how the person died, whether they were in pain, did they know they were dying, what were their last words, who saw what happened, and in cases of homicide, who committed the murder. All of these reactions are ways the survivors use to grasp the reality of the death and to begin the grief process.
As Bio Technicians, you are often called by family members or meet them upon arrival to the scene. Understanding some of the dynamics of trauma on the grief process may help as you help the family. Understanding the “normalcy” of the reactions you may see can help you feel more competent and assured to speak with family members without wondering whether or not you are saying the “right” thing. Some suggestions are listed below, but the most important thing is to convey sincerity and compassion to the family. They are very vulnerable and sensitive to words, expressions, and body language. Just make sure that what you say and do is congruent with how you feel or you will come across as insincere and uncaring.
Soon after a traumatic death, most survivors simply need to tell the story to anyone who will listen. It is important for their recovery to be able to do this. If you have time to listen, do so. They are not necessarily looking for any input from you; they just need someone to listen.
Remember that there are two basic rules for grieving people – you don’t hurt yourself or someone else. If, during the conversation, you hear comments that indicate the person is thinking of either, you might suggest they go talk to someone else before making a decision to do something like this. Create a list of counselors, therapists, or mental health centers to hand out at times like these. Take comments about thoughts of suicide seriously and offer to call a friend or family member to be with the person and get them help. Suicide rates often increase after a sudden, traumatic death of a loved one. These are very difficult situations for you as a caregiver, but you need to set limits as to what you can and cannot do. Listening and having resources available are all you need. The survivor needs to take some responsibility for them, and others who are better trained to handle these situations need to be contacted.
Although many reactions may look and feel “crazy”, most are normal reactions to the situation. Again, as long as they don’t hurt themselves or someone else, they are probably reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Helping normalize these reactions is very helpful to the survivor. Encouraging the survivor to talk and to express what they are experiencing is also helpful. Making a simple statement such as, “I think I’d feel the same way if this happened to me”, helps the survivor feel less out of control.
There are many support groups available to survivors that would make a good resource for them. Creating a list of those in your community or in nearby communities is a great gift for survivors. They may not want to attend a support group, but usually someone from the group is always willing to talk to them by telephone or offer assistance.
In the work you do, you may find yourself in situations of dealing with survivors who have needs you do not feel comfortable or competent in dealing with. That’s okay as it is not your responsibility to be all things to all people. However, there are these simple steps you can take to help your families in a meaningful way. You can listen. You can refer. You can offer resources. Having some general knowledge of the traumatic grief process may make you feel more competent in dealing with your families and knowing that you are being supportive and helpful in a meaningful way.
Below are some national organizations that offer support groups in almost every locality. They are specific to either the type of death or the relationship to the person who died and are more appropriate to traumatic deaths. They all have web sites or central telephone numbers that can be contacted for local information.
The Compassionate Friends – for parents’ whose child has died of any cause.
MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Drivers offer support for parents who a drunk driver killed child
Widowed Persons Service – sponsored by AARP for spousal death
SOS – Survivors of Suicide support groups
POMC – Parents of Murdered Children and other victims of homicide.
These and many other groups may be listed at your county’s Victim Assistance Office usually located in the office of the District Attorney. Also, check with your local hospices or hospitals. They offer support groups that are open to the public. Some local churches may also host support groups. As you create your list, don’t try to keep up with the dates and times of group meetings as they change frequently. All you need is the name of the group, a telephone number, and possibly a contact person. Leave it to the survivors to take the responsibility to make the calls on their own behalf.
Since the late 1980’s, we have seen an increase in interest and research on the effects of trauma on the grief process. We have learned that the grief process from the sudden, unexpected, and often violent deaths of suicide, homicide, auto accidents, natural disasters, and other types of deaths, is very different from the grief process of those who have died from natural causes, old age, or long-termed illness. Many, if not all, of the deaths faced by Bio Technicians fall into the category of traumatic. Those family members who hire you have usually been touched by the trauma of the death. Understanding the traumatic grief process and its differences from other types of grief may be of some help to you as you deal with these family members.
There are several key elements that make the responses by family members to a traumatic death difficult. First is the suddenness of the death. Family members usually did not have time to prepare themselves for the death and to make the psychological adjustments to cope with the news of the death. Also, the suddenness of the death does not give the family an opportunity to say goodbye to the victim before their death. Second, the violence of the death may leave the family with horrific memories and nightmares that often interfere with the grief process. Third, many of these types of deaths require police intervention and the family is often not given the support, information, and compassion they need at the time. Another element can be the presence of the media at the time of the death, as well as weeks and months later if legal issues follow the death. Most traumatic deaths involve young people who’s parents, grandparents, and siblings may still live. Certainly, the death of a child or young person is very difficult to cope with.
Reactions to a traumatic death can be very different, more intense, and longer lasting than other types of death. The emotions following a traumatic death are often conflicting and intense. There is a tendency to relive the death event over and over in an attempt to make it real. Intrusive thoughts and nightmares are very common. Intense physical responses such as inability to eat or sleep, stomach aches and headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure and a decrease in the autoimmune system are also common. Many times, the survivors must deal with intense feelings of guilt or remorse, feeling that they were somehow responsible or could have prevented the death “if only”. Family members have the need to tell the story of the death over and over again in an attempt to gain a sense of the reality of the death. They often have an overwhelming need to learn all they can about the circumstances of the death - how the person died, whether they were in pain, did they know they were dying, what were their last words, who saw what happened, and in cases of homicide, who committed the murder. All of these reactions are ways the survivors use to grasp the reality of the death and to begin the grief process.
As Bio Technicians, you are often called by family members or meet them upon arrival to the scene. Understanding some of the dynamics of trauma on the grief process may help as you help the family. Understanding the “normalcy” of the reactions you may see can help you feel more competent and assured to speak with family members without wondering whether or not you are saying the “right” thing. Some suggestions are listed below, but the most important thing is to convey sincerity and compassion to the family. They are very vulnerable and sensitive to words, expressions, and body language. Just make sure that what you say and do is congruent with how you feel or you will come across as insincere and uncaring.
Soon after a traumatic death, most survivors simply need to tell the story to anyone who will listen. It is important for their recovery to be able to do this. If you have time to listen, do so. They are not necessarily looking for any input from you; they just need someone to listen.
Remember that there are two basic rules for grieving people – you don’t hurt yourself or someone else. If, during the conversation, you hear comments that indicate the person is thinking of either, you might suggest they go talk to someone else before making a decision to do something like this. Create a list of counselors, therapists, or mental health centers to hand out at times like these. Take comments about thoughts of suicide seriously and offer to call a friend or family member to be with the person and get them help. Suicide rates often increase after a sudden, traumatic death of a loved one. These are very difficult situations for you as a caregiver, but you need to set limits as to what you can and cannot do. Listening and having resources available are all you need. The survivor needs to take some responsibility for them, and others who are better trained to handle these situations need to be contacted.
Although many reactions may look and feel “crazy”, most are normal reactions to the situation. Again, as long as they don’t hurt themselves or someone else, they are probably reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Helping normalize these reactions is very helpful to the survivor. Encouraging the survivor to talk and to express what they are experiencing is also helpful. Making a simple statement such as, “I think I’d feel the same way if this happened to me”, helps the survivor feel less out of control.
There are many support groups available to survivors that would make a good resource for them. Creating a list of those in your community or in nearby communities is a great gift for survivors. They may not want to attend a support group, but usually someone from the group is always willing to talk to them by telephone or offer assistance.
In the work you do, you may find yourself in situations of dealing with survivors who have needs you do not feel comfortable or competent in dealing with. That’s okay as it is not your responsibility to be all things to all people. However, there are these simple steps you can take to help your families in a meaningful way. You can listen. You can refer. You can offer resources. Having some general knowledge of the traumatic grief process may make you feel more competent in dealing with your families and knowing that you are being supportive and helpful in a meaningful way.
Below are some national organizations that offer support groups in almost every locality. They are specific to either the type of death or the relationship to the person who died and are more appropriate to traumatic deaths. They all have web sites or central telephone numbers that can be contacted for local information.
The Compassionate Friends – for parents’ whose child has died of any cause.
MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Drivers offer support for parents who a drunk driver killed child
Widowed Persons Service – sponsored by AARP for spousal death
SOS – Survivors of Suicide support groups
POMC – Parents of Murdered Children and other victims of homicide.
These and many other groups may be listed at your county’s Victim Assistance Office usually located in the office of the District Attorney. Also, check with your local hospices or hospitals. They offer support groups that are open to the public. Some local churches may also host support groups. As you create your list, don’t try to keep up with the dates and times of group meetings as they change frequently. All you need is the name of the group, a telephone number, and possibly a contact person. Leave it to the survivors to take the responsibility to make the calls on their own behalf.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
MBTA kicks cleaning into high gear
By Marie Szaniszlo & Richard Weir | Friday, May 1, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com
Photo by John Wilcox
Within hours of Vice President Joe Biden saying he had warned his family against taking subways, the MBTA announced yesterday it was ramping up cleaning on trains and buses to head off the spread of the potentially deadly swine flu virus.
“The MBTA has directed its cleaning crews to give special attention to places such as seats, hand rails on escalators and grab bars on subway cars and buses,” T General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said in an e-mail.
“People should not hesitate in going about their daily activities while also keeping themselves informed about how to stay healthy and protect themselves at: www.cdc.gov/flu/swine and www.mass.gov/dph,” Grabauskas added.
The announcement followed Biden’s remarks about advice he had given his family to avoid confined spaces such as planes and subways.
Dr. Alfred DeMaria, state epidemiologist, attempted to clarify any misconceptions the vice president’s comments may have caused, telling people: “If you are sick, don’t travel. There are no recommendations for people who are well to restrict their travel or quarantine themselves unless they are in direct contact with somebody with probable or confirmed swine flu. Then we are asking them to quarantine themselves because they could be incubating.”
Of the T’s extra cleaning details, DeMaria said, “The more clean the better.”
“I ride the train every day, and people are constantly coughing into their hands and touching the bar and touching the surfaces,” he said. “People need to know not to do that. People need to know that maybe when they get off the T to use alcohol rubbing gel if they can’t wash their hands right away.”
Rider reaction was mixed yesterday. “I’m scared,” Cassandra Delice, 32, of Malden said yesterday at Downtown Crossing. “I don’t have a car. I have to take the train to get to work.”
But others dismissed Biden’s warning about planes and subways as premature.
“Unless there’s extremely concrete evidence that public transit is dangerous to take, I don’t think he should cause a national spook. It’ll just deter people from going to school,” Mark Shanks of Leominister said on his way home from Newbury College.
“I’m not really worried,” Shanks, 18, added. “I’m pretty careful. I try to keep my distance from people. Nowadays, you have to.”
Sara Braganca, 26, of Jamaica Plain said: “I think it was irresponsible what he said. People shouldn’t stop their lives.”
Photo by John Wilcox
Within hours of Vice President Joe Biden saying he had warned his family against taking subways, the MBTA announced yesterday it was ramping up cleaning on trains and buses to head off the spread of the potentially deadly swine flu virus.
“The MBTA has directed its cleaning crews to give special attention to places such as seats, hand rails on escalators and grab bars on subway cars and buses,” T General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said in an e-mail.
“People should not hesitate in going about their daily activities while also keeping themselves informed about how to stay healthy and protect themselves at: www.cdc.gov/flu/swine and www.mass.gov/dph,” Grabauskas added.
The announcement followed Biden’s remarks about advice he had given his family to avoid confined spaces such as planes and subways.
Dr. Alfred DeMaria, state epidemiologist, attempted to clarify any misconceptions the vice president’s comments may have caused, telling people: “If you are sick, don’t travel. There are no recommendations for people who are well to restrict their travel or quarantine themselves unless they are in direct contact with somebody with probable or confirmed swine flu. Then we are asking them to quarantine themselves because they could be incubating.”
Of the T’s extra cleaning details, DeMaria said, “The more clean the better.”
“I ride the train every day, and people are constantly coughing into their hands and touching the bar and touching the surfaces,” he said. “People need to know not to do that. People need to know that maybe when they get off the T to use alcohol rubbing gel if they can’t wash their hands right away.”
Rider reaction was mixed yesterday. “I’m scared,” Cassandra Delice, 32, of Malden said yesterday at Downtown Crossing. “I don’t have a car. I have to take the train to get to work.”
But others dismissed Biden’s warning about planes and subways as premature.
“Unless there’s extremely concrete evidence that public transit is dangerous to take, I don’t think he should cause a national spook. It’ll just deter people from going to school,” Mark Shanks of Leominister said on his way home from Newbury College.
“I’m not really worried,” Shanks, 18, added. “I’m pretty careful. I try to keep my distance from people. Nowadays, you have to.”
Sara Braganca, 26, of Jamaica Plain said: “I think it was irresponsible what he said. People shouldn’t stop their lives.”
Friday, May 1, 2009
Braintree wants to clean up motel, scene of murder-suicide
By Dennis Tatz
The Patriot Ledger
BRAINTREE — The owners of Motel 6 have agreed to meet with the mayor to discuss continuing problems at the motel in the aftermath of a murder-suicide involving a former Braintree mother of four and her boyfriend.
BILL CONSIDERS REVOKING MOTELS' LICENSES
State Rep. Joseph Driscoll has long been aware of problems at the Motel 6 in his district.
So in January, the Braintree Democrat filed legislation that would allow a community to revoke the license of a motel if police were called to the business three or more times within a calendar year for a crime.
On Thursday, Driscoll called the Motel 6 on Union Street “a disgrace” and said it should be closed immediately.
The lawmaker’s comments came following a murder-suicide at the motel Wednesday.
“For too long it (Motel 6) has been a gateway for drug dealing, violent crimes of all orders and has no place in Braintree,” Driscoll said.
“I will fight for passage of this legislation to empower our town, and others in a like position to close establishments run by corporations who don’t know or don’t care that their business is not primarily renting rooms but allowing crime into surrounding neighborhoods.”
The proposed legislation is similar to the law that allows a landlord to evict a tenant involved in a felony.
The bill has been referred to the Public Safety Committee.
“We recognize this has been a troubled site for a period of time,” Mayor Joseph Sullivan said. “We want to clean it up.”
A motel worker found the bodies of Linda A. Auger, 42, and Luis Garcia, 52, formerly of Lynn, after entering a room they shared at the Union Street motel about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Following autopsies Thursday, Norfolk County District Attorney’s office spokesman David Traub, said preliminary results revealed that Garcia stabbed Auger to death and then hanged himself.
In the past, police have made numerous prostitution and drug-related arrests at the motel located just off Route 3 and near the MBTA Red Line and commuter rail station.
In an e-mail Thursday to the mayor and police Chief Paul Frazier, the head of safety and security for Accor North America in Carrollton, Texas, owners of the Motel 6 chain, said they were willing to discuss concerns regarding illegal activity at the business..
“We pride ourselves on being good corporate citizens in the communities that we serve,” Victor Glover, also a senior vice-president for Accor, wrote.
He said motel management has often hired off-duty Braintree police officers to handle security.
Glover wrote in a separate e-mail to The Patriot Ledger that the company’s condolences go out to the families of the deceased.
“The safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority,” he said. “We will continue to work in collaboration with the police department to provide a safe environment.”
The popular motel chain, which offers low-cost lodging, has more than 900 company-owned and franchised locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Its tagline, “We’ll leave the light on for you,” has been an advertising staple for years.
Sullivan said he was pleased with the company’s response.
“We have a serious matter on our hands,” the mayor said. “We want tourists enjoying our community. We won’t tolerate this type of activity.”
Frazier said quality-of-life issues with the motel’s owners must be addressed.
“But our thoughts are first and foremost with the children of this murder victim, who are with their father,” the chief said. “They have suffered a tremendous loss from this act of domestic violence.”
Chris Mitchell, who recently opened the Capri Restaurant and Wine Bar next to the motel at the former Bickford’s Restaurant site, declined comment. Mitchell leases the property from Accor.
A few local residents interviewed had varied reactions to the tragedy.
“It was very surprising,” Pat Clark said as she left the Braintree Cooperative Bank in Braintree Square with a friend. “I would like to see them clean that place up. These things don’t happen around here.”
Clark, who has lived in Braintree for nearly 50 years, said she believed there are others who are also upset about illegal activity that has been going on at the motel for years.
Janet Swenson, who was watching her grandson at the Hollis School playground, said it was obvious that changes need to be made to combat ongoing problems at the motel.
Susan Lynch, who was out for a walk near South Braintree Square, said she really wasn’t that surprised to hear about the murder-suicide.
“It seems like a sleazy place,” Lynch said. “It doesn’t have a good reputation anyway.”
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
The Patriot Ledger
BRAINTREE — The owners of Motel 6 have agreed to meet with the mayor to discuss continuing problems at the motel in the aftermath of a murder-suicide involving a former Braintree mother of four and her boyfriend.
BILL CONSIDERS REVOKING MOTELS' LICENSES
State Rep. Joseph Driscoll has long been aware of problems at the Motel 6 in his district.
So in January, the Braintree Democrat filed legislation that would allow a community to revoke the license of a motel if police were called to the business three or more times within a calendar year for a crime.
On Thursday, Driscoll called the Motel 6 on Union Street “a disgrace” and said it should be closed immediately.
The lawmaker’s comments came following a murder-suicide at the motel Wednesday.
“For too long it (Motel 6) has been a gateway for drug dealing, violent crimes of all orders and has no place in Braintree,” Driscoll said.
“I will fight for passage of this legislation to empower our town, and others in a like position to close establishments run by corporations who don’t know or don’t care that their business is not primarily renting rooms but allowing crime into surrounding neighborhoods.”
The proposed legislation is similar to the law that allows a landlord to evict a tenant involved in a felony.
The bill has been referred to the Public Safety Committee.
“We recognize this has been a troubled site for a period of time,” Mayor Joseph Sullivan said. “We want to clean it up.”
A motel worker found the bodies of Linda A. Auger, 42, and Luis Garcia, 52, formerly of Lynn, after entering a room they shared at the Union Street motel about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Following autopsies Thursday, Norfolk County District Attorney’s office spokesman David Traub, said preliminary results revealed that Garcia stabbed Auger to death and then hanged himself.
In the past, police have made numerous prostitution and drug-related arrests at the motel located just off Route 3 and near the MBTA Red Line and commuter rail station.
In an e-mail Thursday to the mayor and police Chief Paul Frazier, the head of safety and security for Accor North America in Carrollton, Texas, owners of the Motel 6 chain, said they were willing to discuss concerns regarding illegal activity at the business..
“We pride ourselves on being good corporate citizens in the communities that we serve,” Victor Glover, also a senior vice-president for Accor, wrote.
He said motel management has often hired off-duty Braintree police officers to handle security.
Glover wrote in a separate e-mail to The Patriot Ledger that the company’s condolences go out to the families of the deceased.
“The safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority,” he said. “We will continue to work in collaboration with the police department to provide a safe environment.”
The popular motel chain, which offers low-cost lodging, has more than 900 company-owned and franchised locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Its tagline, “We’ll leave the light on for you,” has been an advertising staple for years.
Sullivan said he was pleased with the company’s response.
“We have a serious matter on our hands,” the mayor said. “We want tourists enjoying our community. We won’t tolerate this type of activity.”
Frazier said quality-of-life issues with the motel’s owners must be addressed.
“But our thoughts are first and foremost with the children of this murder victim, who are with their father,” the chief said. “They have suffered a tremendous loss from this act of domestic violence.”
Chris Mitchell, who recently opened the Capri Restaurant and Wine Bar next to the motel at the former Bickford’s Restaurant site, declined comment. Mitchell leases the property from Accor.
A few local residents interviewed had varied reactions to the tragedy.
“It was very surprising,” Pat Clark said as she left the Braintree Cooperative Bank in Braintree Square with a friend. “I would like to see them clean that place up. These things don’t happen around here.”
Clark, who has lived in Braintree for nearly 50 years, said she believed there are others who are also upset about illegal activity that has been going on at the motel for years.
Janet Swenson, who was watching her grandson at the Hollis School playground, said it was obvious that changes need to be made to combat ongoing problems at the motel.
Susan Lynch, who was out for a walk near South Braintree Square, said she really wasn’t that surprised to hear about the murder-suicide.
“It seems like a sleazy place,” Lynch said. “It doesn’t have a good reputation anyway.”
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
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