A doctor who allegedly drove his wife and kids off a cliff reportedly believed that his family were going to be sex trafficked, a district attorney said.
In January 2023, Indian-American radiologist Dharmesh Patel drove his car - with his wife and children inside - off the edge of a 250ft cliff amid a 'mental health crisis'.
The vehicle was driven off Devil Slide cliff in California and onto the rocks below.
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But miraculously, all four passengers survived the terrifying ordeal, after which Patel was then arrested and accused of attempted murder.
According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, two doctors have since testified that Patel was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the incident, with The Los Angeles Times also reporting that Patel believed his two children may be sex trafficked.
Doctors also reportedly said that Patel suffered from major depressive disorder.
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Patel has pleaded not guilty and is seeking a 'mental health diversion', the publication reports.
However, it has also been reported that prosecutors allege that Patel is actually suffering from a schizoaffective disorder (as opposed to a depressive disorder) and for this reason, they believe his pleas should not be granted.
If they are granted, he will be released from prison and put on a two-year treatment plan.
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“If he goes off his medication, how do you know? It’s not like being on probation or on parole. It’s purely the visits with the psychiatrist,” said Wagstaffe.
Wife Neha has insisted on supporting her husband, putting the incident down to a mental health episode.
"We need him in our lives and it has been over a year and a half since my children or I have seen or spoken to Dharmesh," she said.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the mother went on to reveal that her son had recently asked her, 'When's Daddy home?', before she told the jury: "We are not a family without him."
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She continued to say: "Now that we understand and know he has a treatable condition, things will be different. I want members of the court to know the health and safety of my family is of paramount importance."
Attorney Dr Mark Patterson also supported the family's claims, insisting that he'd exhibited 'paranoid and kind of delusional' in the days prior, and had falsely convinced himself that his children would be sex trafficked.
"It was paranoid and kind of delusional thinking that he acted on at the time to protect his family from a worse fate," he explained.
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"He was concerned that his children were at risk of being kidnapped, possibly for sexual molestation.
"There were concerns surrounding the explosion of fentanyl in this country and the war in Ukraine."
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone
Topics: News
Lucy Devine