Mentally ill woman shoots self

Family problems reportedly drove a 30-year-old mentally deranged woman to shoot herself yesterday morning in her room in Payatas, Quezon City.

Victim Mary Jane Benjamin, of 33 Everlasting St., Payatas A, sustained a bullet wound in the head and died on the spot.

Investigators said that Benjamin, who has had a history of mental illness, might have killed herself after problems with her live-in partner, with whom she has two young children.

According to PO1 Greg Maramag and PO1 Josel Gagaza, the victim’s body was discovered by her 10-year-old daughter Dana at about 9:30 a.m. inside her bedroom. She had a single gunshot wound in the right side of the head. Benjamin was slumped on a mattress and a caliber .38 revolver was found beside her right hand. She screamed for help and neighbors immediately alerted authorities.

The victim’s live-in partner, a retired school principal, was out of town during the time of the incident. Dana was supposed to look after her mother but she left the house at about 8:20 a.m. to attend choir practice.— Matthew Estabillo