Professor's chilling letter written before suspected murder-suicide
A professor who allegedly killed his three-year-old before committing suicide in the middle of a bitter custody battle left behind a chilling letter explaining his feelings.
When police in Tampa, in the US stare of Florida, attended Professor Ayhan Aytes property for a welfare check on December 10, they found him and his three-year-old daughter Ela deceased.
Professor Aytes, 48, left behind a seven-page letter dated from December 6, The Tampa Bay Times reports.
According to a police search warrant report, the letter contained references to Aytes’ separation, divorce and child custody battle with estranged wife Laurel Friedman, 38.
“I cannot imagine a life for myself and Ela to go through this nonsense for the rest of our lives,” the note read.
Friedman had contacted the police with welfare concerns after not having heard from her husband for several days.
The couple had filed for divorce and agreed on joint custody but Friedman was concerned Aytes may take their daughter back to Turkey, his native homeland, after failing to bring her back from scheduled visits, according to divorce filings.
Professor Aytes, a permanent resident of the US, had been barred by a judge from taking his daughter to Turkey, deeming him a potential abduction risk.
On December 5 Aytes did not take his daughter to school, prompting Friedman to file an emergency motion in court, concerned that her estranged husband’s mental health was in decline.
One day later, they exchanged text messages and emails. When Friedman said it was time for her to see her daughter, Aytes asked her, via text, not to “push it too hard”.
Four days later, Friedman called the police, having been unable to contact Aytes or her daughter.
Police records indicated that Ela had no visible signs of trauma on her body when they discovered her.
The cause of death will be determined by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“The system failed Ela in the most tragic of ways, even as my lawyer and I did everything in our power to ensure her safety,” Friedman told The Tampa Bay Times after the tragedy.
The family later released an official statement stating that they were “devastated at the loss of our beloved Ela”.
For support and information about suicide prevention, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
