Ariana Sutton is the wife of a police officer, identified as Tyler Sutton who took her own life just nine days after giving birth to twins amid a brutal battle with postpartum depression.
After the passing of a local police officer’s wife, family and friends in Massachusetts are attempting to spread awareness about postpartum depression.
According to ABC affiliate WCVB-TV and The Enterprise, Ariana Sutton of Norton committed suicide on May 31 after giving birth to twins nine days earlier. The 36-year-old has three children with Easton police officer Tyler Sutton, whose “greatest joy was spending time with her family,” according to her obituary.
“Two weeks ago, we were calling him saying, ‘Congratulations,’ and putting cards together for him,” police Chief Keith Boone told WCVB-TV. “Now, we’re preparing for a funeral.”
Her husband’s brother, Jason Sutton, described Ariana as a “very gentle, kind human being.”
“Ariana wanted these kids so badly,” he told The Enterprise of the twins, who were born a month early. “She lived to be a mother.”
According to a GoFundMe page set up on behalf of the family, the births of Everly Irene and Rowan Stephen “brought unforeseen challenges” for the “vibrant and devoted mother,” which put “an immense strain on Ariana’s mental health.”
“Despite her relentless efforts to seek help, the burden of postpartum depression became too much to bear,” read a message on the page.
“Our hearts are broken as we navigate life without Ariana, an irreplaceable member of our family,” wrote Kiley Sutton, Ariana’s sister-in-law, in a Facebook post on Monday.
Boone told WCVB-TV that Tyler has “a long road ahead of him” and asked others to educate themselves about the impacts of postpartum depression (PPD).
“It’s so important that you ask for help,” sister-in-law Catherine Sutton said during an interview with The Enterprise. “If another family’s able to avoid what we’re going through right now, it’s worth it to share our story.”
PPD occurs after childbirth in about one in seven persons, according to the National Institute of Health. This type of sadness “tends to last longer and severely affects women’s ability to return to normal function,” unlike “baby blues,” which normally subside after a few weeks.
According to her obituary, Ariana worked at Starline Academy for the Performing Arts in Stoughton for five years prior to co-owning it with her sister for the previous eight years. Additionally, she belonged to the Greater Brockton Dance Teachers Association.
“Some women don’t tell anyone about their symptoms,” according to the Office on Women’s Health, noting that new mothers “may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about feeling depressed” after giving birth. Additionally, “they may also worry they will be seen as bad mothers.”
