Did anyone watch the HBO documentary 'There's something wrong with Aunt Diane'?

[msjprincess]

I agree, as a nurse this photo was not as bad as it could have been, and the swelling of her face I account to fire inhalation and fluid overload. I take the documentary wanted to put a scare into ppl with the picture as to what can happen, as I would have expected it to be much worse.



When I saw the doc I also heard that the children were not ejected from the car and the son that survived was at the bottom and was pulled out of the car. I was confused though that when the father or SIL spoke of him remembering the incident he talked about "flying like superman", which made me think he possibly may have been ejected.

I rewatched some of the doc today and found it amazing what was suppose to be a 35min car ride took 4 hours. I'm also starting to lean towards it being on purpose. I still think when she got out of the car at the bridge where she left her cell phone is where she smoked the pot. It would have be not around the children (ok in her mind) and the blood tests showed she smoked within 15mins to 1 hour of her dying.

Parksville to Briarcliff Manor is 90-100 miles



ETA
And the route she took would probably be a little further since she went over the Tappan Zee and then north again

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Rewatched most of it on HBO Go...love that app!

Anyway, I think she smoked the pot when she stopped at the rest stop. She was swerving in and out of lanes and honking the horn at that point. I think she was feeling the effects of the vodka and thought a joint would help her relax and probably help with nausea (the witnesses thought she looked sick)

There were several miscalled numbers before she left the phone by the bridge. I think she was pretty upset over something at that point and left it on purpose.


Also, witnesses said some of the kids were ejected.

 

[NHdisneylover]

From what I see and hear my gut instinct is also to think it was intentional--a suicide (and an ultra selfish one at that as she had to know she was taking all of those kids with her and might well be taking others on the highway). I really feel like she got some news that weekend that angered and upset her terribly and made her decide she was going to do this horrible thing. I cannot imagine ever reacting like that to anything, but I think that is what she did.

I think the drinking and pot were helping her get her "nerve" up to do what she had decided to do. I am also wondering is she was upset when she realized her poor little niece as "telling on" her and stopped the car and left the phone so that could not happen again.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

The first responders (witnesses who took Diane out of the vehicle) said they got the kids out of the car. No one was ejected. They were wearing seat belts I imagine but they were not ejected. The witnesses and helpers had to get the kids out of the back seat.

In my opinion, Diane's face/head was extremely swollen (probably due to brain swelling?) She had a few lacerations and one eye was swollen shut. It was pretty gruesome but I am not in the medical field. You probably see horrible things as an RN.

I agree with you about the Ambien. I would NEVER take that stuff even while my husband is home because I do have a 2 yr old who will get up about 5 nights out of 7. I need to be able to hear her and respond. I don't like drugs anyway. Except for the occasional drink.

The thing I cannot let go of is just trying to picture when/where she had those drinks of vodka and the pot, too. I'm sure she wasn't smoking a doob while driving the kids around. She would have feared they would tell on her, I'm sure. And she must have guzzled that vodka to have had 10 drinks.

Maybe she was really hung over from the night before and had some hair of the dog? She could have had alcohol in her system from the night before then had the vodka in the morning on top of all that. I know a bad hangover can mess up your thinking big time. That would explain her looking for Advil at the gas station.

As a mom I just cannot wrap my brain around this. She wasn't that far from home. She could have waited and gotten tanked in the safety of her own home and everyone would have been safe! Why couldn't she have waited!?

The documentary said that all the kids were already dead except for the one boy who survived the accident and he was UNDERNEATH all the other kids who were piled on top of him in the floor of the van.

 

[aprilgail2]

I rewatched some of the doc today and found it amazing what was suppose to be a 35min car ride took 4 hours. I'm also starting to lean towards it being on purpose. I still think when she got out of the car at the bridge where she left her cell phone is where she smoked the pot. It would have be not around the children (ok in her mind) and the blood tests showed she smoked within 15mins to 1 hour of her dying.

I don't know where the 35 minutes comes from but it takes over that just to get from their house off long island! That timing has to be a mistake...wouldn't take 4 hours but sure as heck takes over 35 minutes!

 

[sbtrfly74]

I don't know where the 35 minutes comes from but it takes over that just to get from their house off long island! That timing has to be a mistake...wouldn't take 4 hours but sure as heck takes over 35 minutes!

I'll have to watch the beginning again and figure out what I heard was regarding 35mins.

 

[SLK1]

I'll have to watch the beginning again and figure out what I heard was regarding 35mins.

I could have sworn they said it should have taken 35 minutes also. Not sure what I was hearing if it was supposed to be two hours???

 

[NikitaZee]

I'll have to watch the beginning again and figure out what I heard was regarding 35mins.

It was said - I think in one of the press conference scenes, maybe with Dominic Barbara? But I'm from LI and thought - no way, he's way off with that estimate.

 

[mefordis]

It might have seemed that they were ejected to some witnesses - maybe there were belongings that were ejected looking like the people. The first responder said he opened the car door and pulled all of the victims out, laid them side by side (children) and then the police put up a sheet so no one could take pictures or gawk.

Rewatched most of it on HBO Go...love that app!

Anyway, I think she smoked the pot when she stopped at the rest stop. She was swerving in and out of lanes and honking the horn at that point. I think she was feeling the effects of the vodka and thought a joint would help her relax and probably help with nausea (the witnesses thought she looked sick)

There were several miscalled numbers before she left the phone by the bridge. I think she was pretty upset over something at that point and left it on purpose.


Also, witnesses said some of the kids were ejected.

 

[mefordis]

Yep, that is what I heard too.

The documentary said that all the kids were already dead except for the one boy who survived the accident and he was UNDERNEATH all the other kids who were piled on top of him in the floor of the van.

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

I don't have HBO, but am so intrigued by this documentary and would like to watch it. Can you watch it online or any place else?

Also, I have done some searches online, obviously the husband is a liar and will never tell the truth, but does he say anything about what happened while camping? I know a few posters speculated that something happened over the weekend that maybe made her snap like the end of an affair or fight with husband. Did he say anything about her demeanor changing? Also, if she had had an affair, don't you think someone would have come forward? I mean this person could possibly shed some light or something and probably get paid good money to be interviewed. IDK, it's such a horrible story, I truley feel the truth lies with her husband, and I think like other people posted that maybe he drove her crazy but of course won't admit fault.

 

[Andtototoo]

I was thinking about this story the other day because I saw some "COPS' type program in which they had videotape of an old lady driving the wrong way for MILES on a highway. It was incredibly scary to watch as cars and tractor trailers were trying to swerve out of her path and she was just focused on driving straight ahead. When the cops were able to pull her over, she insisted she was going the right way and that she had noticed nothing wrong. The cop made a comment about not knowing if she was so senile she didn't realize or if she was medicated. It was terrifying to watch the footage.

So it made me remember this case. Growing up in the area, we used the Taconic all the time. When I was being taught to drive, we used the regular highway first because it was straight and only then went on the Taconic -- it was a level up because it was so twisty and turny. Also, because it's a parkway, it's easy to pull right over onto the grassy shoulder if there is a problem. I know, because I've been on the Taconic twice when we had to do that. Everyone does that. So if she had a problem, she could have done it too. If she was driving straight ahead without problems on the Taconic, then she had enough of her faculties to be able to drive a road that can be a little challenging if you're impaired, so I have to wonder if it was suicide.

It really makes me even more skeptical to allow my girls to ride in a car with anyone. I am glad we don't have that third row of seats (we have an SUV not a minivan) so we have a good excuse not to carpool with anyone! I'll drive my own kids around, thank you. You never know who may be popping pain meds or whatever and while driving kids around.

I always insisted upon being the driver for dd to everything. And I would not let her ride with other teens. Dd used to tease me about it.

Then. Now?

My dd is the videographer for muncipal court. Their caseload is heavily weighted with DUI and "Lack of Absolute Sobriety" cases. You would be deeply shocked by how many of your "good", "decent" church-going "upright" friends, neighbors and family members have been pulled over for these offenses. Plus the number of "mini-van moms" who get pulled over for egregious speeding (such as 54 in a 25mph residential street). There is not one week without her videotaping someone she knows from 16 year olds to octogenarians. (And keep in mind, that we are not 'from' here -- so we have no family or long-term relationships. Our local network is NOT vast. Therefore the people she knows are from church and school and our neighorhood.)

Dd now understands 100% why I always was the driver and why we gave her a car so she would always be the driver herself. .

 

[sbtrfly74]

I don't have HBO, but am so intrigued by this documentary and would like to watch it. Can you watch it online or any place else?

Also, I have done some searches online, obviously the husband is a liar and will never tell the truth, but does he say anything about what happened while camping? I know a few posters speculated that something happened over the weekend that maybe made her snap like the end of an affair or fight with husband. Did he say anything about her demeanor changing? Also, if she had had an affair, don't you think someone would have come forward? I mean this person could possibly shed some light or something and probably get paid good money to be interviewed. IDK, it's such a horrible story, I truley feel the truth lies with her husband, and I think like other people posted that maybe he drove her crazy but of course won't admit fault.

Think someone mentioned it was on HBOGo

 

[4greatboys]

I thought the neice made the call hours before the accident. I'll have to rewatch that section of the doc.

Is it on HBO Go?

Yes

 

[mefordis]

If it was an affair, I can definitely see why someone wouldn't come forward. What if he was married! There were some "wrong numbers" that she dialed before murdering/killing herself. Maybe she was trying to locate her lover?

I can see why her husband wouldn't know anything. Sounds like he was doing his own thing and working nights while she ran the household.

I was only able to find the trailer for the film on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trck8tVtYyo

I don't have HBO, but am so intrigued by this documentary and would like to watch it. Can you watch it online or any place else?

Also, I have done some searches online, obviously the husband is a liar and will never tell the truth, but does he say anything about what happened while camping? I know a few posters speculated that something happened over the weekend that maybe made her snap like the end of an affair or fight with husband. Did he say anything about her demeanor changing? Also, if she had had an affair, don't you think someone would have come forward? I mean this person could possibly shed some light or something and probably get paid good money to be interviewed. IDK, it's such a horrible story, I truley feel the truth lies with her husband, and I think like other people posted that maybe he drove her crazy but of course won't admit fault.

 

[mefordis]

Ladies, I'm obsessed with this story as well! So, on Youtube I found a video of someone discussing the incident and he shows a mock reenactment of what it would have looked like to go on the Taconic Pkwy the wrong way, just as Diane S. did. Same exit and everything! What we don't see is what it would look like to have cars coming at you and swerving away. But it would take just one for me to swerve to the right and stop.

I think she was hysterical. Maybe even crying -- her nieces say on the phone call that something is wrong with her. I think she flipped. I know no one in their right mind would have killed themselves in a manner to take others with them, especially kids. Especially not a mom who seemed stable like her. I think she snapped and with the alcohol just did something very rash.

This guy's theory is right on, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g1SO6zOdX0

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

Think someone mentioned it was on HBOGo

Yes, but I think you still have to be a subscriber to HBO to use it. I did have HBO until my husband lost his job in May so we had to cut back. Of course all the time I had HBO, I saw the same 5 movies over and over and once I get rid of it something good like this comes on. If it weren't for bad luck...

 

[klmall]

Rewatched most of it on HBO Go...love that app!

Anyway, I think she smoked the pot when she stopped at the rest stop. She was swerving in and out of lanes and honking the horn at that point. I think she was feeling the effects of the vodka and thought a joint would help her relax and probably help with nausea (the witnesses thought she looked sick)

There were several miscalled numbers before she left the phone by the bridge. I think she was pretty upset over something at that point and left it on purpose.


Also, witnesses said some of the kids were ejected.

Your theories about when and why she smoked the pot seem quite reasonable. They make sense to me!

 

[klmall]

Regarding the photo of the body, I have ben an RN for many years and worked extensively in a neuro-trauma unit. While I do empathize with how traumatic that photo must be for a lay person to view, her visible injuries were minimal. The first responders at the scene stated that she fell out of the van when they finally got the door open and I believe they said the passenger side door. The children that were ejected probably did not fare so well. From the information presented, I expected much, much worse and would say that as far as obvious trauma, that photo would be about a 2 on a scale of 1- 10, with 10 being the worst. Most emergency personnel will tell you that the drunks usually fare better than the sober people they hit in terms of damage sustained in an accident. I have also taken care of many brain dead patients who have sustained a traumatic injury, for example falling out of the bed of a pickup truck, without a scratch on their body. Many with horrendous severe visible injuries survive.

Totally agree with your post above. Remember too that she had gained weight and was up to 204 pounds according to what I had read. Other than some bruising and bleeding she didn't look as bad as I expected either.

Many years ago, about a year after our wedding, the wonderful young friend of ours who caught the garter was hit and killed while driving by a drunken Air Force captain. Our friend's casket had to be closed due to the severe injuries he sustained but the captain whose car was also totalled simply walked out of his car after the jaws of life freed him. He barely had any cuts and bruises. Supposedly this drunk kept asking what happened.

 

[momrek06]

Ladies, I'm obsessed with this story as well! So, on Youtube I found a video of someone discussing the incident and he shows a mock reenactment of what it would have looked like to go on the Taconic Pkwy the wrong way, just as Diane S. did. Same exit and everything! What we don't see is what it would look like to have cars coming at you and swerving away. But it would take just one for me to swerve to the right and stop.

I think she was hysterical. Maybe even crying -- her nieces say on the phone call that something is wrong with her. I think she flipped. I know no one in their right mind would have killed themselves in a manner to take others with them, especially kids. Especially not a mom who seemed stable like her. I think she snapped and with the alcohol just did something very rash.

This guy's theory is right on, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g1SO6zOdX0

WOW, that video … holy crap!

I have a question on the miss called numbers on Diane's phone … do you think the oldest niece might have been using Diane's cell to call her parents and was misdialing … what phone did the oldest niece use to call her parents and leave that message "something's wrong with Aunt Diane" … ? And possibly if Diane's cell was in the niece's hands, it was the niece that left it on the stone wall when they got back in the van to continue home … ?

Was there some rumor swirling around that Diane was having an affair and that her BF broke off their affair (that day) and she was devastated???

Danny Schuler suing his BIL who lost 3 beautiful children … omg.