Episode 14 – Originally Published in 2016
Trigger warning – discussions about spree killing and gun violence
To recap part one, Sylvia Seegrist was a resident of Springfield, Pennsylvania, a suburb about 10 miles outside the city of Philadelphia. On Wednesday, October 30, 1985, Sylvia brought an automatic rifle to the Springfield mall and in a span of less than 15 minutes killed 3 people, and seriously wounded 7 others.
Sylvia was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in 1975 when she was just 15 years old. Over the next ten years, Sylvia was institutionalized a dozen times. In the years leading up to the massacre at the Springfield Mall, Sylvia’s behavior continued to decline. She was frequently escorted out of local businesses for scaring patrons and making threats against society.
Part 2 discusses Sylvia’s trial and incarceration, taking a deeper look at the mental health system with help from TwistedPhilly listener Jen. Too often cases like these are sensationalized to focus only on the violent crimes, when we also need to consider the needs for mental health support in preventing stories like Sylvia’s.
TwistedPhilly is researched, hosted and produced by me, Deana Marie, and available biweekly wherever you listen to podcasts.
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