Four Deputy Suicides in Harris County Raise Questions About Mental Health Support

Also today, friends and family said goodbye to veteran Harris County deputy Christina Koller.

Her death last week was ruled a suicide.

Koller is one of four current or former Harris County deputies who've taken their own lives in just the last six weeks.

ABC 13's Jessica Willey is live tonight, and this is leading to important conversations about the need for support, Jessica.

Yeah, Eric, the department has a behavioral health division that has made great strides since it was established in 2020, and has led the way, its director says, among law enforcement agencies.

But these recent deaths are raising serious concerns for the deputies organization.

The question is, what more should they be doing?

It caught, uh, a lot of us by surprise. Harris County Sheriff's deputy Christina Koller left home last week and was never seen again.

Houston police issuing this alert. The 37-year-old found on the 13th.

She had taken her own life. Three days later, Maria Vazquez, who left the department in December, died by apparent suicide.

William Boseman, also a former deputy, died earlier this week.

Tragic news. One is too many. You know, two, three is, yes, it's, it's definitely devastating.

That Jose Lopez is helping his friends and colleagues try to process.

It hits very close to home, and it's a reminder to us of how, how fragile life is.

Um, it- it's also a reminder that we do need to look out for each other.

We do need to take care of each other. Lopez is the president of the Harris County Deputy's Organization, but he knew two of the late deputies personally.

I knew them for over 20 years. In just six weeks' time, four current and former deputies have taken their own lives.

Psychologist Thomas McNeese is the director of the department's behavioral health division.

These, uh, last few weeks have been difficult for, for our staff and for, uh, the sheriff's office as a whole.

He says he and his division work to provide resources to both former and current employees who are struggling.

They embed to help people feel more comfortable.

This profession unfortunately ha- takes a toll on people, and over time, the longer they're in it, uh, the more of a toll that it takes.

And, uh, it changes people. First responders historically have a high rate of suicide.

It's a combination of things like what they see on the job, and then what the job entails.

While the department has been focused on mental health, often leading the way, Lopez says these last few weeks have raised questions.

We can't help to, to ask the question of, uh, um, is that enough?

You know, do we need to do something, uh, different?

Uh, what else can we do? And as they work to support those grieving, McNeese with this message to anyone who might be in crisis.

Reaching out, getting some help, doing something to be able to not stay stuck where you're at is really important.

Jessica Willey, ABC 13, Eyewitness News.