Rancho Santa Margarita is an Orange County community with about 50,000 residents. It is a master planned community that includes lovely residential neighborhoods and an array of businesses of different types. Indeed, Rancho Santa Margarita offers a good deal when it comes to entertainment, recreation, culture, dining, shopping, and other activities.

Perhaps the most notable current claim to fame of Rancho Santa Margarita involves the television program The Real Housewives of Orange County. Although the so-called “real housewives” don’t live in Rancho Santa Margarita, they do spend a great deal of their time in the bistros, boutiques, and other establishments in the city.

The Alarming Suicide Rate in Rancho Santa Margarita

Sadly, Rancho Santa Margarita has a claim to fame for another reason. A bridge in Rancho Santa Margarita has become a focal point for people who want to take their own lives. Thus far, eight people have died at the Santa Margarita Parkway Bridge in the community. Two of the deaths were accidental, six were suicides. In addition, every year emergency services are called to the bridge when someone appears to be preparing to take his or her life. Attempts are prevented each year, although one more recent case resulted in a man jumping to his death in front of emergency personnel

Two people survived jumping from the bridge. One survived. The second man was determined to be brain dead. His family arranged for the donation of vital organs.

In some instances, the suicide at the bridge by a person is not immediately discovered. For example, in one case, the Orange County Coroner determined that a woman who jumped from the bridge died about five days before her body was found.

The Aftermath of a Rancho Santa Margarita Suicide or Other Traumatic Death

A considerable percentage of suicides occur in residences. Of that number, many people who take their own lives do so using a firearm or knife. In addition to being relatively effective ways of committing suicide (although not foolproof), these means of death also create a horrifically gruesome aftermath in many instances. The aftermath of a violent suicide necessitates what can prove to be a challenging and risky cleanup process.

Blood and bodily fluids that are found following a violent suicide can contain what medically is known as dangerous pathogens. These pathogens can include viruses and bacteria like:

  • HIV
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • MRSA

When it comes to cleaning up following a violent suicide, safety is a prime consideration. The risks associated with this type of biohazard cleanup underscores the importance of giving serious consideration to hiring a professional biohazard remediator for the task. In addition, people who’ve lost a loved one by suicide or some other violent means already is suffering a challenging grief process. The bereavement process need not be further complicated by the additional burden of personally cleaning up after these types of deaths.

The Aftermath of a Rancho Santa Margarita Unattended Death

Suicides in Ranch Santa Margarita include those in which bodies are not immediately discovered. Because of the nature of the human decomposition process, there are cases in which remains are considerably decomposed by the time they are discovered.

This type of situation is referred to as an unattended death. An unattended death is one that is not discovered for days, weeks, or even months. As a result, the level of potentially biohazardous materials at the death scene is significant.

In addition to suicide, other types of unattended deaths that have occurred in Rancho Santa Margarita include:

  • Accidents
  • Natural Causes
  • Diseases
  • Poisonings
  • Chokings

Homicides sometimes are not immediately discovered. Thus, they can also fall into the category of an unattended death that is not immediately known as a result of the state of the body by the time the homicide is discovered by someone.

As is the case with suicides and other violent deaths, the engagement of a biohazard cleanup professional is recommended. This recommendation is made for safety and emotional reasons alike.

Rancho Santa Margarita Grief Therapists

A person who loses a family member by suicide or some other sudden death is likely to face a profoundly challenging bereavement process. With that in mind, professional support oftentimes is advisable in that type of situation. There are Rancho Santa Margarita grief therapists that work with people of all ages who find themselves struggling with the untimely loss of a loved one. These professionals include:

Carol Shack-Lappin
22362 Gilberto, Suite 205
Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688
(949) 281-6637

Julie Olson
22362 Gilberto, 
Suite 205
Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688
(949) 229-1138

Patricia Zielinski
30211 Avenida De Las Banderas, Suite 200
Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688
(714) 794-5892

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