Woman's train death, child's death believed to be murder/suicide

[marvel]

I have never posted a news article before so here is the link. I don't want to mess this up so if someone else can post it the correct way that's fine.

Northwest Herald - Local News and Video for McHenry County, Illinois - <img width="10" height="10" border="0" alt="" src="http://images.townnews.com/nwherald.com/multimedia.jpg" /> <font color="red">Update: </font>Police: Woman's train death, child's

I knew Maggie and Sydney. I am at a loss. I can't feel. I know how people react when things like this happens. I also know how bad it hurts to want to hurt yourself and fight the evil in your head that you have no control over. I cannot imagine how bad she was hurting to do this. How bad were the demons in her head for her to go through with this. How could she not confide in anyone. So many people would have helped her. Why the fuck can't I feel anything. I am numb. I am just so numb.

[Chilly Willy]

You did great. Most people copy and paste the text from the article into the original post, but it's fine like this as well.

Awful story, by the way.

[Honey]

A Crystal Lake woman who walked in front of a moving Metra train on Tuesday first killed her 7-year-old daughter hours earlier, in what police said Wednesday appeared to be a murder-suicide.

Preliminary autopsy results indicated the girl was suffocated, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren said.

“I stress this is a preliminary investigation,” Nygren said.

Magdelina Kamysz, 28, was killed about 1:50 p.m. by a westbound train in Cary. Witnesses told police that the woman walked from a wooded area onto the tracks near an overpass at Route 14, east of Sands Road.

District 158 Superintendent John Burkey confirmed that Magdelina Kamysz was a teachers aid in the district's pre-school program last year, her only year with the district.

She was not fired, but district officials said she was not expected back at her job this year. Her former colleagues at District 158 went back to work Monday, the day before the murder/suicide.

When a deputy coroner went to the Kamysz’s Hanover Drive home near Crystal Lake to notify the family of the death, the deputy found the woman’s child dead.

Sydney Kamysz was found lifeless under covers in a bed inside a bedroom that was believed to be shared by the mother and daughter, McHenry County Corner Marlene Lantz said.

There were no signs of blunt-force trauma to the child, Lantz said.

“It looks like she had been dead for a couple of hours,” Lantz said. “We could tell by her color, touch and temperature.”

Police said they would have to wait for toxicology tests to return to officially rule on the girl’s cause of death.

Sydney Kamysz was supposed to start second-grade classes Wednesday at Husmann Elementary School.

Husmann Principal Linda Corteen said Kamysz was a bright student who spoke fluent Polish and English and was also learning Spanish as part of the school's dual-language program.

“She was a very talented, a very gifted child,” she said.

The home where the body was found belonged to the child’s grandparents, officials said. The girl’s grandfather was home during the discovery and he told police he didn’t know his granddaughter was dead.

Once the deputy coroner found the child, he immediately left the home and called police, Lantz said.

No one answered the door Wednesday morning at the Kamysz residence, a one-story wood-sided home in the Squaw Creek subdivision near Sterne’s Woods nature preserve. Some neighbors declined to comment on the news, while others expressed shock.

“They were just wonderful neighbors, so I’m sure everyone in the whole neighborhood will be shocked, but what can you say?” said neighbor Terry Young, 62, who used to trade tips with Magdelina Kamysz’s father on tending vegetable gardens. “It’s sad.”

John Moline, who lives across the street from the Kamyszs, said they were a fairly private family in a neighborhood where people held block parties twice a year and traded cookies during the holidays.

“Right now, it’s just like I don’t know what to think,” said Moline, 60.

McHenry County court records showed the mother, who had custody of the child, was in a dispute with the girl’s father, Alan B. Burton, 29, of Walworth, Wis. over visitation rights. The two were never married.

Both parents had recently completed a parenting certification program that was required as part of the court dispute, which began in February.

The matter went to mediation earlier this month, but after three session, it wasn’t resolved. The case was sent back to a judge, who was supposed to hear the case again in October.

The attorney who represented the mother in the civil case said she presented herself as someone worried about her child’s welfare.

“The woman seemed genuinely concerned about her child and seemed to be a loving, good mother, attorney Wesley R. Pribla said. “I have no idea what happened.”

Husmann Elementary School officials will send a statement home with students on Thursday informing parents of the death and advising them that counseling is available.

The school will provide grief counseling to for staff, family and students as needed, the school’s principal said.

“We’re thinking of her family at this time and all of her friends," Corteen said. "We will miss her.”

[Chilly Willy]

Oh and a proper thread title would be great.

[Just Kill Me]

I've dealt with suicidal thoughts for a very very very long time but I have never contemplated harming my child; I just don't understand it. It is so selfish. Drop your kid with a person you trust and say you have to run to the store and then off yourself if you must; oh this pisses me off so much.

[Sweetie]

How sad. You never know what people will do.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

I wonder if she was suicidal before she killed her kid? Sad story

[McJag]

OMG! To have known them would make it even worse than this sounds. Why didn't she at least call you or someone and say "Please take this child" first?? So many people would have been happy to raise her! If adults want to off themselves ,fine. Children don't get a vote, which is beyond cruel! She had her mind made up,Marvel. She was beyond help so try not to beat yourself up over this. If I were you, I would make a special treat every year for a needy child and present it in Sydney's name every Christmas. Make something positive out of this mess.

[AliceInWonderland]

how sad and tragic

[Tati]

I changed the thread title to something descriptive.

This is really sad.

[marvel]

No one has any idea why she did this. Not her family, friends, even boyfriend. The only thing anyone can think of is the visitation hearing. I think after not being in Syd's life for so long he wanted to be there. He started the process, not Maggie. That is no reason though, not at all. Everyone is still in shock like it didn't happen. I am not looking forward to the wake/funeral at all. I just want to be in and out.

[Honey]

I feel bad for her, I hope she is at peace now