More Suicides Following Methods Outlined In Book

A jogger found a woman dead inside her car at Hafer Park in Edmond, the car is full of hazardous chemicals. Investigators with the medical examiner's office say the death appears to be consistent with practices in the book 'Final Exit.'

The book "Final Exit" is described as a do-it-yourself textbook to commit suicide. The author's intended readers are those who are terminally ill. However, more young people are picking up on the practice that is not only deadly for them, but dangerous for first responders.

Amy Elliott with the state medical examiner's office explains recently the ME reviewed at least one dozen deaths related to the book; a book that teaches people different ways to end their lives.

"On some of our scenes the book is actually found with the [deceased person]. On this scene it was not found with it," Elliot said.

But Elliott says the scene at Hafer Park is like a page straight out of the book, a 24-year-old woman found dead inside a car filled with a mixture of hazardous chemicals.

"It just tells them step-by-step how to carry out this process," Elliot said.

Even after the death, the chemicals left on the body are still potentially dangerous for investigators. 

"When the autopsy will be performed, my staff will have to wear hazmat suits and respirators so they are not affected," Elliot said.

And because the medical examiner's office is outdated, the pathologists must take extra precautions not to contaminate the morgue and building.

"We do not have level-3 bio safety room, so this is what we have to do instead of it," Elliot said.

For each chemical-related death given to the state agency, a refrigerator truck is brought on site and the garage is transformed into a place to perform the autopsy.

"The resources used today to work this scene were tremendous," Elliot said.

To perform the one autopsy the ME says the makeshift morgue will not be in place until Monday.

Derek Humphry, author of the book "Final Exit" responded with this statement:

"For 22 years 'Final Exit' has been advising terminally ill, competent adults how they might bring their suffering to an end either by (1) prescription drugs; or (2) helium gas.

[This] suicide method is of fairly new Japanese origin and has spread via the Internet.  It is a complicated and awful way to die, plus being extremely dangerous to those who find the body.

Neither myself nor any right-to-die group in the world has ever supported this terrible way to die."