Behavior: Trouble in an Affluent Suburb

Behavior

Teen-age suicides galvanize a New Jersey community

Hours after the burial of Jeffrey Hunter, 16, four of his classmates at Ridgewood High School sat talking about the death. Why had Hunter hanged himself? Suddenly, Christopher Mathieson, also 16, rose, said he had something to do and sped home on his moped. Sensing trouble, the other students ran to Mathieson's house. They found him hanging in a stairway closet.

Jeff and Chris are the third and fourth Ridgewood, N.J., youngsters to die by their own hands in the past 18 months. The suicides sent shock...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!