Hollywood Hills Suicide Had Potential for Public Danger

When police and coroner's investigators came upon the car of a woman who in the Hollywood Hills on May 23, they knew it posed a potential danger to them and the neighborhood, according to an Associated Press report published Monday.

"Danger! Chemicals inside! Call 911" was written on a note in the window of the car.

Authorities found Ana Gutierrez, 23, of Culver City, dead in the car after she ingested a toxic gas concocted using instructions she got from a suicide website, officials said.

At the time, City News Service reported the car was found on the 6900 block of La Presa Drive, off Outpost Drive.

If the chemical cloud had escaped from the car with people nearby, many others could have died, according to authorities. They considered evacuating residents, but never carried it out.

According to the AP report, the woman had made a suicide pact with a man who backed out at the last minute. The method Gutierrez used was obtained from a website and officials say about 35 cases nationwide in the past two years have involved people killing themselves in a similar way. Although most suicides affect only the deceased and their families, these cases have the potential to kill strangers.

As it turns out, the door to the car was open and the woman had fallen out on the passenger side of the car. By that time the fumes had dissipated.

See the AP's full story here.