Law enforcement agents say they don’t know what prompted a Belle Plaine mother to step in front of a train and take her 8-year-old son with her.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation ruled the May 4 deaths of Teresa C. Gerleman, 36, and Henry Fields a murder and suicide, according to a news release Tuesday morning.
“We found some material that indicated she had some suicidal thoughts and tendencies,” said Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Rick Rahn. “We don’t know what tipped the scale or caused her to go down this path.”
Gerleman waited near the railroad tracks for the Union Pacific train to approach, according to the release. Video footage from the train captured Gerleman and her son, Fields, crossing the tracks. As the train drew near, Gerleman returned to the center of the tracks and pulled Fields into the path of the train.
Officials concluded the investigation based on evidence at Gerleman’s residence, interviews with Union Pacific Railroad employees, video footage from the train and other interviews, according to the release.
None of the information found indicated Gerleman planned to kill her son, Rahn said.
Investigators found no evidence the deaths of Gerleman and Fields are connected to the April 23 death of Justin Wisner, 42, who also stepped in front on the Union Pacific train in Belle Plaine, Rahn said.
“We are not aware of any connection,” he said.
Belle Plaine City Administrator Jeff Horne said the community is worried about copycat incidents with the train that regularly rolls through town.
“I’m trying not to bring too much attention to it because of the copycat thing,” Horne said.
Belle Plaine had a vigil earlier this month and community members are trying to support each other. “It’s a very difficult thing,” he said. “We had two of these happen in a short period of time.”
The Belle Plaine Police Department originally reported to the Union Pacific Railroad’s Ninth Street crossing around 5 a.m. on Friday, May 4, for reports of pedestrians being struck by a train. Gerleman and Fields were later identified as Belle Plaine residents.