Kimberly Rogers Inquest Alerts

Psychiatrist defends opinion on Rogers
Despite intense grilling by inquest lawyers, he says it’s likely
the pregnant Sudbury woman killed herself

by Eli Schuster
Osprey Media Group Inc.
Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 11:00

Sudbury - Testifying for a second day before the coroner’s inquest into the death of Kimberly Rogers, psychiatrist and suicide expert Dr. Isaac Sakinofsky admitted under cross-examination it was “remotely possible” Rogers may have stockpiled her supply of Amitripyline out of fear her drug plan would soon be revoked, but insisted she most likely did so as a means of committing suicide.

Rogers, 40, died in August 2001 of an overdose that was 13 times her prescription in her apartment during a heat wave while she was under house arrest for welfare fraud.

Sakinofsky’s opinion that Rogers deliberately ended her own life contradicted previous testimony from Rogers’ boyfriend Terry Pyhtila, and Birthright’s Grace Kurke, who claimed Rogers seemed upbeat about the possibility of giving birth.

“I don’t think Mr. Pyhtila is qualified to make a judgement on whether or not (Rogers) was suicidal,” said Sakinofsky.

Sakinofsky noted that “statistically, it’s unusual” for pregnant women to commit suicide, but suggested it is a “myth” that pregnant women do not kill themselves.

“I would say it’s less common or uncommon, but not rare,” said Sakinofsky.

The psychiatrist was shown several documents penned by Rogers herself that seemed to indicate she wished to give birth, breast feed and provide a clean environment for the baby she was expecting.

Sakinofsky replied: “people are fairly complicated,” and suggested Rogers may have alternated at times from believing she could make a future for herself, and other times when she felt helpless.

“At the end of everything, she was going to be a single mother on welfare; how was she going to bring up a kid on that?” asked Sakinofsky, who also suggested she may have told Kurke and others what they expected to hear.

Increased drug intake

“She played to that … she believed in that role when she was interacting with Grace Kurke,” said Sakinofsky.

Lawyer Martin James of the City of Greater Sudbury asked Sakinofsky why he had considered and ruled out two other possibilities – that Rogers had overdosed on the anti-depressant either to get some sleep or out of an addiction, but did not consider if Rogers may have taken it as pain relief for her headaches.

At one point, Rogers increased the intake of the drug to five pills per day from four on her own initiative.

When she informed her doctor, he increased the dosage to six pills, but strongly cautioned her against taking any more.

Sakinofsky replied to James’ question that he did not believe Rogers overdosed out of a misguided attempt to self-medicate.

“Not 13 times the prescribed dose, not 13 times — I can’t believe that,” said Sakinofsky.