I feel so sad as I write this post. Yesterday, InfoNubia posted a breaking story about shots being fired in front of U.S Capitol Hill. It turned out that the suspect who rammed barricades and led police on a chase near the U.S. Capitol is 34-year-old Miriam Carey, a dental hygienist who has been battling postpartum depression shortly after giving in August 2012.

Sadly, Miriam was shot and killed during yesterday's chase. She apparently did not have a weapon, but did have her 1-year-old girl in the car with her while all these happened.

Some time ago, I wrote a post on the dangers of postpartum depression after reading about the story of another woman who committed suicide few hours after dedicating her 3-month-old baby.

According to CNN reports, authorities found medications to treat schizophrenia and other mental disorders in Miriam's apartment. This discovery of psychiatric medication happened after Miriam's boyfriend told the police in December that she appeared to be delusional, believing that President Barack Obama had placed Stamford, Connecticut, where they lived, under lock-down and that her home was under electronic surveillance.

As I read the story, I was torn between two. On one hand I'm thinking the law enforcement had to take action given that the Capitol Hill is one for the most heavily policed place in the world and trespass would be forcefully repelled. On the hand, I think it wasn't necessary to gun Miriam down, especially with a baby in the car. I think the police might have gone overboard on this one. Shoot the tires out, disable the car, but kill her? I just think it's a little too much. Needless to say, she was unharmed.

One might make the argument also that what if she really does have an explosives in the car? Many of us would question why the cops didn't take her out in the first place. In this day and age, any attack on the White House should be taken seriously.

While I'm still lost in my thoughts about where I stand on this situation, one thing is clear; friends and families need to pay extra attention to nursing mothers, especially when there is a trait of depression after child birth.

According to Xavier Amador, a psychologist and expert in schizophrenia and other mental health disorders, it is possible the medications found at Miriam's apartment were prescribed for postpartum psychosis, a rare illness that usually comes on suddenly within the first four weeks after birth.

I feel bad for Miriam's family, I feel especially bad for her poor child. May her soul continue to rest in peace.

Share your thoughts...

Do you think the police went overboard? Or they were just responding to a threat and within their rights to shoot Miriam?

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/10/miriam-carey-woman-shot-by-capitol-hill.html