Housewife commits suicide after quarrel

JAKARTA (JP): A 40-year-old housewife was found dead at her home in Duren Sawit district, East Jakarta, yesterday after reportedly arguing with her husband the night before.

Forensic experts believe that Aisyah, a mother of three, had committed suicide by drinking insecticide.

A glass which smelled of insecticide was found near a bed, where neighbors found her, First Lt. Wahyu of the East Jakarta Police precinct, said.

The officer quoted Aisyah's neighbors as saying that the victim had a heated argument the previous night with her husband, Subagyo, an employee of the East Jakarta District Court.

"According to the neighbors, the couple had quarrel frequently in the past three months.

"The night before, according to the neighbors, the two had a fierce argument which lasted until the early hours of the morning.

"Some of the neighbors even heard Aisyah threaten her spouse that she would end her life by drinking insecticide."

In the morning, neighbors became suspicious when Aisyah did not arrive to buy vegetables as usual, Wahyu said.

A few hours later, one of the neighbors decided to peep through the bedroom window of Aisyah's house.

The female neighbor saw Aisyah lying on the bed and at first thought that Aisyah was just sick.

But the neighbors realized that something seriously had happened when they knocked several times on the front door and received no response from Aisyah, he said.

They called the police, who broke into the house and found Aisyah dead.

Her body was sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for a postmortem examination.

Police summoned Subagyo, who admitted knowing that his wife intended to commit suicide, Wahyu said.

"If he knew it, then he should also be held responsible for his wife's death," the officer said without clarifying the nature of Subagyo's responsibility.

However, he said it was rare for someone to be arrested in a case of suicide.

But he called on the public to provide the police with information so they could finalize the investigation into Aisyah's death. (04)