Tragic Mother/Daughter Murder/Suicide

"OAKLAND, CA — A 64-year-old woman fatally shot her handicapped daughter at an East Oakland skilled nursing facility Sunday night then killed herself with the same gun, police said.

"The shootings happened about 10:18 p.m. Sunday at the Oakland Springs Health Center, 1833 10th Ave., where Yvette Harden, whose 44th birthday would have been Sept. 20, had been living since 2003.

"Police said her mother, Diana Marie Harden, believed to be a Livermore resident, left no note explaining her motive for killing her daughter and taking her own life.
Sgt. Jim Rullamas said early today that police have found `no signs this was going to happen. `

"`It's a sad, tragic way for two lives to end,` Rullamas said.

"Rullamas said police were told Yvette Harden suffered serious brain damage in a car accident in 1994 that also left her partially paralyzed and required her to use a wheelchair.

"He said Diana Harden visited her daughter at least twice a week in her single room, where the walls were adorned with family pictures.

"Rullamas said Diana Harden called staff Sunday night to say she was coming to visit but gave no indication of what she planned to do. There are apparently no set visiting hours at the facility for relatives, police said.

"Rullamas said Diana Harden brought a revolver into her daughter's room inside a handbag.

"Within a few minutes of arriving, she shot her daughter twice — at least once in the head — while she lay in her bed then shot herself once in the head, police said. Police were not sure if Yvette Harden was awake when she was shot.

"Staff members rushed to the room upon hearing the gunshots. Both women were pronounced dead at the scene."

From Mercury News...