Mysterious death of the banker: investigations after a fall in Baden-Mödling!

Mysterious death of the banker: investigations after a fall in Baden-Mödling!

Alexandra G. would have celebrated her 52nd birthday on June 8, 2025. Her death under mysterious circumstances on January 18, 2023 continues to preoccupy the court and experts. The mother of two, wife and banker died after falling from the roof of the garage at the Baden-Mödling clinic near Vienna. On the fateful day, she left the psychiatric department of the state hospital at 2 p.m. and duly reported herself to the staff, which was noted in the nursing protocol. Data from her Apple Watch shows that she stayed near the clinic and went into the adjacent garage building around 2:30 p.m.

A few minutes later she fell into the depths. The mysterious nature of her death raises many questions, particularly about the circumstances that led to this incident. There is speculation that psychological problems, possibly related to her stay in the psychiatric hospital, may have played a role.

Mental illness and suicide

It is often claimed in the scientific literature that 90% of suicides occur due to mental illness. However, recent analyzes and commentary challenge this view by encouraging consideration of a variety of causes. An overview of empirical findings shows that mental disorders increase the risk of suicide by 30 to 50 times, but can only explain a portion of suicides. For Alexandra G. and many others, factors such as relationship problems, financial burdens or legal challenges could also have played a role.

Studies show that, despite an increase in psychiatric morbidity, the number of suicides actually fell in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. This contradicts the common assumption that mental illness always leads to suicidal behavior. Complex relationships and different risk factors must be given greater consideration in suicide prevention in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

More mysterious deaths

In another tragic incident, Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and one of their dogs were found dead. Initial investigations point to a series of domestic accidents that led to this accident. Hackman, who had a pacemaker, may have died of cardiac arrest. Betsy Arakawa may have injured herself while trying to get medication for her husband, resulting in internal injuries. The dog may have died of thirst after Betsy possibly accidentally locked him up.

Autopsy results from these deaths are pending. The Santa Fe sheriff expects results from analysis of Hackman and Arakawa's phones by Tuesday or Wednesday that could potentially shed more light on what happened. Carbon monoxide poisoning has already been ruled out as the cause of death.

In the meantime, Alexandra G.'s case remains present in people's minds, especially because it is an example of the deep connections between mental illness and suicidal behavior. It is crucial that suicide prevention is approached more holistically and not solely focused on mental illness in order to find effective solutions.