DEFINITELY THE WRONG HOLIDAY

When you're packing up your Halloween decor this year, check it carefully. You don't want any nasty surprises come next year, or the expense of fumigation.

Suicide Mistaken For Halloween Decoration

The apparent suicide of a woman found hanging from a tree went unreported for hours because passers-by thought the body was a Halloween decoration, authorities said.

The 42-year-old woman used rope to hang herself across the street from some homes on a moderately busy road late Tuesday or early Wednesday, state police said.

The body, suspended about 15 feet above the ground, could be easily seen from passing vehicles.

State police spokesman Cpl. Jeff Oldham and neighbors said people noticed the body at breakfast time Wednesday but dismissed it as a holiday prank. Authorities were called to the scene more than three hours later.

"They thought it was a Halloween decoration," Fay Glanden, wife of Mayor William Glanden, told The (Wilmington) News Journal.

"It looked like something somebody would have rigged up," she said.

Mistake 1: Not seeking professional help for the depression. If you're feeling suicidal - there are people who can help. Call the National Hopeline Network: 1-800-784-2433 or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.

Mistake 2: Choosing Halloween as the time of year to do it. You need a holiday with more contrast, like Christmas, Easter, or heck July 4th! Don't take a chance on being mistaken for a diorama.