Benjamin Ashford|New York oncologist kills baby and herself at their home, police say

If you or Benjamin Ashfordsomeone you know might be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, or chat online at 988lifeline.org

SOMERS, N.Y. – A New York oncologist fatally shot her baby and then herself Saturday morning in their home, state police reported.

The incident happened in Somers, about 25 miles north of White Plains.

Dr. Krystal Cascetta, 40, entered her baby's room in their home at about 7 a.m., shot the baby and then herself, according to a press release issued by state police. The baby's gender and age were not provided, but an online baby registry suggests the baby was about 4 1/2 months old.

Law enforcement sources told The Journal News/lohud, part of the USA TODAY network, that the baby was a girl and an only child. They said that Cascetta's husband, Timothy Talty, was away and Cascetta's parents were in the house at the time of the shooting.

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Cascetta was site chief of the Mount Sinai Queens Infusion Center, a treatment center for cancer and blood disorders, and was an assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine.

Cascetta and Talty, who married in 2019, purchased the home on Granite Springs Road in 2021. The couple had previously lived in Brooklyn.

Cascetta's husband is the founder of a line of protein bars that Cascetta endorsed. A bio of her on the Talty Bars website described how she had always planned to be a doctor and that she began focusing on oncology while in middle school after a friend of her mother's died of breast cancer.

A graduate of Albany Medical College, she was inducted into its Gold Humanism Honor Society, which recognizes excellence in humanistic clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service, according to her Mount Sinai bio.

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What to know about postpartum depression, psychosis

Postpartum depression may affect about 1 in every 7 women, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is a form of major depression that may take hold at the beginning of pregnancy or within four weeks of giving birth.

Postpartum psychosis is an even more rare and severe condition than postpartum depression. Fewer than 5% of new moms experiencing postpartum psychosis engage in violent behavior such as infanticide, according to Postpartum Support International, a nonprofit organization educating the emotional changes in women during pregnancy and after pregnancy.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis can include feeling confused and lost, having obsessive thoughts about your baby, hallucinating or having delusions, sleep problems, paranoia and, at its most severe, making attempts to harm yourself or your baby. It can lead to life-threatening thoughts or behaviors and requires immediate treatment.

According to the Mayo Clinic, here are symptoms of postpartum depression to watch for:

• Depressed mood or severe mood swings
• Crying too much
• Difficulty bonding with your baby
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual
• Inability to sleep, called insomnia, or sleeping too much
• Overwhelming tiredness or loss of energy
• Less interest and pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Intense irritability and anger
• Fear that you're not a good mother
• Hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
• Restlessness
• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide