RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — One in five women struggle with their mental health, and friends of a Richmond mother shot and killed by a police officer say her mental health was something she battled with for years, and at the time she died.
Police said they were called to the Belt Atlantic apartments on the Midlothian Turnpike on Thursday, May 7 for reports of a shooting. 31-year-old Jazmin Wooten-Mitchell was killed, but it’s unclear at this time what exactly led up to the officer discharging their weapon.
Mitchell’s loved ones said she was struggling after 35-year-old Larry Johnson, the father of her 7-month-old son, passed away in a car accident less than 48 hours before. Mitchell also has an 11-year-old daughter.
Mental health experts say if you notice these signs in yourself or someone you know, there are ways to help:
- Frequent mood swings
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Unexplained chronic fatigue
- Difficulty completing everyday tasks
“If you are aware that there has been a major loss like being fired or a death in the family, it’s really important to check in, you know, pick up that phone, stop by the house and really make sure you can do safety checks,” said Tamar Gur, a maternal-fetal psychiatrist at Ohio State University. “Make sure that you’re on the lookout, your partner’s on your lookout, your family’s on the lookout, your friends are on the lookout for these signs.”…