Mentally Ill Neighbour Posing Threat

I am so sorry you are facing this. I cannot imagine what stress you are under. If you value your life and the life of your family, why don't you just move? Whatever it costs, your life is more valuable.

I agree with what Trina said. It's unfortunate that you have to live under conditions like that. Get out of there!!!

Years ago, while living in Jarabacoa, a neighbor of mine, a middle aged woman who lived alone, was startled early in the morning by insistent knocking at her door. As soon as she opened the door, a strange woman grabbed her by the hair and pushed her down several rungs of stairs to her garden where she kept punching and beating her. The police finally arrived and arrested the woman, my neighbor had to be treated at a local clinic. My neighbor had never met the woman before, and had no inkling of what provoked the attack. The next day, I found out that the strange woman had been set free the same day, and was back in her house down the street. I inquired around with other neighbors and they told me she had returned recently from New Jersey where she had been hospitalized for many months as the result of car accident, and the incident had compromised her mental health. Upon her arrival she had been taken to the psychiatric hospital (Hospital Padre Billini, popularly known as 'El 28'), where she was given the status of outpatient. She carried an ID that identified her as such, and it was the responsibility of her husband to regularly inject the prescribed medication for her treatment. I heard that sometimes her husband had to seek the cooperation of neighbors to hold her down while he administered the medication. Later, I asked the local DA, why didn't the woman remain in jail, and he told me that any person who carried an ID from 'El 28' was exempt from jail.

Jasper said:

neighbour of ours recently released from jail for attacking a waitress a few months back with a machete is back home and rumour has it that he has purchased a handgun. he spent most of the '90's in the Manhattan Psychiatric Center. he has threatened recently to buy a handgun and kill my wife and kids. while he was in jail, his family members went through his belongings and found what seems to be either a receipt or a quote on a handgun. he is not taking his medication so he is a real threat. the police want nothing to do with him and they avoid him like the plague. they shot him in the hand a few months ago to disarm him during the waitress incident. there is a real want of physciatric hospitals there where he could stay long term and sending him back to USA is likely out of question as his visa has expired and it likely would never be renewed with his recent violent record. does his family have any legal right that would enable them to put him in jail or a treatment centre or to force him to take his medicine in front of a doctor on a daily basis with threat of jail time if he does not show up? any ideas? my family is being held hostage by him.

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i assume this is new york city you're talking about..if so ..take out a "order of protection"against this guy..the minute he crosses the that line..he's history.

paddy said:

i assume this is new york city you're talking about..if so ..take out a "order of protection"against this guy..the minute he crosses the that line..he's history.

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The guy lives in the DR.

he could stay long term and sending him back to USA is likely out of question as his visa has expired

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Robert said:

The guy lives in the DR.

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sorry about that.. there maybe some similar remedy available in the dr ..if not..do what you got to do to protect you and your family ...including relocating.

Since the PN is corrupt or at least are suggestible, so visit the teniente or capitan of the local precinct and offer a small regalo for them to pick him up on some trumped up charge and cart him off to the looney bin.

ricktoronto said:

Since the PN is corrupt or at least are suggestible, so visit the teniente or capitan of the local precinct and offer a small regalo for them to pick him up on some trumped up charge and cart him off to the looney bin.

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Rick, you must have read my mind. I was thinking the same thing. Let the PN handle your problem. Might as well put them to use.

ricktoronto said:

Since the PN is corrupt or at least are suggestible, so visit the teniente or capitan of the local precinct and offer a small regalo for them to pick him up on some trumped up charge and cart him off to the looney bin.

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Many years ago I was transferred to a small city in midwestern Venezuela, and not being familiar with the place, while I searched for an adequate house, I decided to move into a quaint one star hotel close to downtown (Hotel Yacamb?). Every morning I would walk a few blocks down to a popular cafeteria for breakfast, and almost invariably I would cross paths with a person or persons obviously afflicted with extreme states of mental derangement, sometimes walking down the middle of the road without one stitch of clothes on them. I was told that those unfortunate souls were not from town, but were regularly and unceremoniously dumped in town during the night from neighboring cities.

Part of the deal has to be to carry this guy to the Haiti border or something then.

"Hits" can be arranged........easily and cheaply...........

I just checked with autorities, and was told that these situations are not considered to be in the realm of public order, but are treated as health issues. The recommendation is to call the public health department (Salud P?blica), and they will send an ambulance with staff to subdue the unfortunate person, if need be, and take him to the appropriate institution.

Best advice I can give...

Mirador said:

I just checked with autorities, and was told that these situations are not considered to be in the realm of public order, but are treated as health issues. The recommendation is to call the public health department (Salud P?blica), and they will send an ambulance with staff to subdue the unfortunate person, if need be, and take him to the appropriate institution.

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You have to be realistic when it comes to your family and their safety. Forget about Salud Publica, lawyers, public safety realms etc. Run, do not walk, to a real estate agent and move the F*CK away. I suspect you already know this and you are looking for confirmation from other people. Well, now you have it from me and at least one other person on the board. Get out NOW!!!

Loony bin?

fko1 said:

Rick, you must have read my mind. I was thinking the same thing. Let the PN handle your problem. Might as well put them to use.

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The only loony bins here with which I am familar are: the Conde, Feria, political party headquarters, and certain forums on this board.

Mirador said:

I just checked with autorities, and was told that these situations are not considered to be in the realm of public order, but are treated as health issues. The recommendation is to call the public health department (Salud P?blica), and they will send an ambulance with staff to subdue the unfortunate person, if need be, and take him to the appropriate institution.

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I agree totally, running away from the problem, or relocating is not the answer. You would be "running away" all your life....from something or someone if that were so true.
Grab the "cabezza de toro" and do what needs to be done.

ggn420 said:

I agree totally, running away from the problem, or relocating is not the answer. You would be "running away" all your life....from something or someone if that were so true.
Grab the "cabezza de toro" and do what needs to be done.

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Running away (at least temporarily) is the ONLY solution. The OP is dealing with a mentally ill person that refuses to take his medications. This person has threatened his family and has been violent in the past. The OP has to protect his children. Until he can permanently get this person off the streets he should relocate his family.

This person is not the school bully, he is mentally ill and seemingly has no sense of reality. Recently, Escott posted in his blog a story about his friends son that was mentally ill and set fire to his house when he was off his meds. That fire resulted in two deaths! (Escott, sorry to bring up bad memories).
Don't take any chances. Until this situation is resolved, move the family!

This is a situation

similar to many I have dealt with as a community Mental Health worker in the states, where getting someone who is clearly unstable and a danger to themself or to others hospitalized involuntarily is a fairly routine procedure. From the inquiries I have made out of professional curiosity, I'd have to say that resources for such treatment in the DR are limited at best.

My experience over the past 22 years is that even the most seriously mentally ill are seldom violent, and when untreated, are generally more a risk to themselves than to others. There are exceptions however, and the OP is well advised to move his family to a safe place until something can hopefully be done to help this man receive treatment for his illness.