A Casualty of the Times?

I don't know if this is the first of similar cases to come.

But, at first glance, it appears to indicate the desperation that many are feeling in today's economy.

A man in the Los Angeles area, who may have been despondent after losing his job, apparently killed his wife, his five children and himself.

Los Angeles police say that they found notes referring to "work-related issues" at the crime scene.

More details probably will be revealed in the days and weeks ahead, I'm sure. And, while I hate to rush to judgment on something like this, it appears that the termination of the employment of both the man and his wife — they apparently worked for the same employer — triggered what happened.

If the loss of their jobs was behind this tragic event, it shows that some people may feel that they have no choices left — even though the L.A. police are insisting that "[i]n these tough economic times, there are other options."

That may be so — and not only in Los Angeles. But perhaps a greater effort needs to be made so that more people are aware of what is available to them to help them cope with this kind of crisis.

Perhaps it wouldn't have helped this family. Perhaps it would have. That is something we may never know for sure.