A man who reportedly committed suicide after police botched a raid at his apartment building as part of a child pornography investigation was a former Planned Parenthood director.
Police in New Haven, Connecticut said Tim Yergeau, 35, died by suicide Tuesday.
“The person who died was definitely the suspect in a child pornography investigation and the person who committed suicide,” said New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
Police botched the raid by breaking down the door of Yergeau’s neighbor and placing her in handcuffs.
The botched raid occurred on April 6th and Yergeau was found dead at his apartment five days later.
The Middletown Press explained:
The chief has requested an internal affairs investigation after members of the Special Victims Unit investigating the child pornography case broke down the door of Yergeau’s neighbor and handcuffed the woman before realizing they raided the wrong apartment.
“They obviously hit the wrong door,” Jacobson said.
The internal affairs investigation will also examine how Yergeau wound up taking his own life five days later, the chief said.
“Unfortunately, a mistake was made,” Jacobson said. “We feel for the woman and we’re going to do everything we can to make it right.”
“The investigation is part of holding my department accountable and transparent,” he added.
Jacobson, who said he plans to reach out to the woman, declined to confirm Yergeau was the suspect in the child pornography investigation. But Yergeau’s neighbor and the state Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner both confirmed he died Tuesday morning. The medical examiner also confirmed Yergeau died by suicide.
Yergeau, who worked as a staffer at the Long Wharf Theatre, previously worked as the director of strategic communications for the Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
Tim Yergeau former communications director for Planned Parenthood was raided as a suspect in a child pornography case.
Five days later he committed suicide. https://t.co/KajXPqAS0G
— 🇺🇸 KB (@kbmakeslemonade) April 14, 2023
Yergeau posted on his Instagram in 2018:
Excited to announce that today I start a new job on the marketing/communications team at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. Excited to be working on issues I’m passionate about: healthcare access, reproductive and sexual health, diversity and inclusion, civic engagement, and voting rights.
The Blaze noted:
The search warrant allowed police to investigate Yergeau’s electronic devices, but he was not arrested at that time.
“It was an open investigation, so he knew he was going to be arrested,” said Jacobson.
Five days after the botched raid, Yergeau was found dead in his apartment.
Jacobson said officials would not release the search warrant or information on what was found in Yergeau’s apartment until they had determined that no one else was involved in the case.
The police chief has ordered an internal affairs investigation into the actions of the Special Victims Unit over the botched raid.
Yergeau had a large social media imprint and left behind many posts on his Instagram account devoted to liberal causes, including the LGBTQ movement.
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