Sex victim' Teri Kropp takes overdose;
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The psychological toll on former Lockport school crossing guard Terri Kropp as a consequence of what she alleges was a coerced sexual liaison with former Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker nine years ago resulted in her hospitalization last Friday at the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center after a botched suicide attempt. Kropp took a quantity of Xanax, a psychoactive anti-depressant that actually results in death for only about one percent of the thousands of Americans who overdose on it every year, according to the Physician's Desk Reference. "I'm not exactly sure how many there were," Kropp told the Niagara Falls Reporter following her release from the hospital over the weekend. "Around a half a bottle, I'd say." Kropp, who is on disability with cancer and takes chemotherapy treatments, said she often becomes depressed. "When my husband goes to work, I start thinking," she said. "If I die, I won't have any more worries." One thing she says she worries about a lot is the memory of performing degrading acts of unnatural sex at the behest of Tucker, who was her boss. Since making her story public last month, Kropp has become the target of abuse by Tucker supporters and even her own sister, Jean Marie Rose, on Facebook and elsewhere, she said. Rose, who was also a crossing guard for a time, told the Reporter that she personally witnessed Tucker drive up in his official Lockport vehicle and accost Terri.
"I believe what my sister said about Tucker is true," Rose said. "But she should not bring in my father-in-law, Frank Rose, who was not her husband at the time Tucker and she had their meetings." At one time, the sisters were married to father and son. Terri married the late Frank Rose, Sr. and sister Jean Marie is married to Frank Rose, Jr. Police responding to a call from a friend led Kropp away from her home in handcuffs Friday, transporting her to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center for treatment and observation. She was discharged with orders to see a mental health professional within five days. Just last week, Kropp said she wanted to take a lie detector test in order to prove her allegations against Tucker to the world and asked readers to contribute to the $600 cost. "After the article came out people started bashing me on Facebook, calling me a liar," she said. "I want to prove once and for all that I am telling the truth." Of her sister, Jean Marie Rose, Terri said, "This has torn us apart. She wrote on her page that I would lose my disability if I got donations to have a lie detector test done. I want my sister back." The shocking allegations against the former Lockport mayor arose in the wake of his sudden resignation from office, a resignation, according to some, that was made necessary by Tucker's own uncontrollable urges. Returning a call from the Reporter, Tucker said he had a tape recording of Kropp admitting her entire story was fabricated to hurt Tucker's chances of re-election in 2011. He refused to make the tape available, however. While suicide is a desperate measure, Kropp asked us to let the public know of her troubles. We consented to publish her request in the hope that it would bring her comfort and on her promise that she would never again attempt suicide in any fashion again. If only we had been in time for others. Last month a Niagara Falls police lieutenant committed suicide by shooting himself in his Amherst home. There were warning signs that went unaddressed, and were known by some, which the Reporter is well aware of. He had received counseling following a previous arrest and certain other incidents where suicide was mentioned were apparently swept under the carpet. Sources also tell us that just last month another local first responder threatened to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge and had to be talked down by a colleague. For those who know of whom we speak, before there is a second tragedy, please take action at once. |
