The Matthew Couto Story

In September 2000, Matthew Couto was a high school senior. He was a star athlete on the varsity soccer and basketball teams - good looking, good natured and popular, and a good student, as well. On September 14, 2000, just a few days shy of his 18th birthday, Matt died by suicide. His parents, Lauren Fischer and Louis Couto, II, found their only son dead, hanging in a closet of their home.

Matt's parents became worried about him in the spring of 2000. He seemed angry and depressed. His behavior was inappropriate and out of character. Their angst increased when Lauren found Matt with books on teenage suicide, and he admitted having suicidal thoughts. They took their only son to a psychologist who said he specialized in treating adolescents, a claim they later found to be untrue.

The psychologist saw Matt or his parents eleven times between June 12, 2000, and September 11, 2000. During this three-month period, he did virtually nothing to help the troubled youth. But the doctor was far from in the dark about the seriousness of Matt's case. The distraught couple advised him of their son's interest in books on teenage suicide, as well as his suicidal thoughts, anger and depression. They related examples of Matt's escalating out-of-character, risky behaviors. Perhaps most importantly, Matt himself told the doctor what he hadn¹t even told his parents: That he had attempted suicide several months earlier.

The psychologist did not tell Matt's parents about their son's previous suicide attempt, although he knew that it placed the boy at 100 times greater risk of trying again, and succeeding, to take his own life. Instead, the doctor diagnosed Matt as "severely depressed," and told Lauren and Louis to give him complete freedom - to take away all restrictions and let him come and go as he pleased, bearing responsibility for his actions. He claimed to have had great success in using this plan with other adolescents.

The first, or primary, doctor continued to see Matt, but also referred him to second psychologist who claimed to specialize in treating suicidal adolescents. This second doctor initially saw Matt on July 21, 2000. She had the youth complete a checklist in which Matt identified almost three dozen problems and concerns, including depression, hopelessness, inferiority feelings, loneliness, poor impulse control, low self-esteem, unhappiness, constant worrying and thoughts of suicide. Matt told her that he had self-mutilated and was physically violent. He also told her that had tried before to kill himself and that he still had suicidal thoughts several times a week. This second psychologist diagnosed Matt with "major depression" and prescribed Zoloft, a mood elevator that takes 4-8 weeks to reach therapeutic levels. When she last saw him on August 16, the doctor assessed Matt as being at risk for suicide. She was right: Matt would be dead within a month.

Matthew Couto was neglected and victimized by both doctors, who falsely claimed to be specialists in the fields of adolescent mental health and suicide. They took no decisive action to help him, despite numerous red flags. They failed to tell his parents about the biggest red flag of all - Matt's previous suicide attempt. Although the second psychologist had a working relationship with a psychiatrist, she failed to consult with the psychiatrist about the case or refer Matt to him. The two psychologists from whom Matt's parents sought help for their son never even collaborated or communicated with each other about Matthew¹s case!

Shortly before Matt died, his mother found drug paraphernalia in his room and took it to the primary psychologist immediately. She told him that Matt was staying out all night, attending raves and possibly using drugs. She said he was dressing differently, had new friends, and was increasingly uncommunicative, depressed and angry. She told him that his unrestrictive plan for Matt wasn't working, but the doctor merely reminded her that their course was to treat Matt as an adult and let him be responsible for his own actions. The primary psychologist never informed the second psychologist about this conversation.

Eight days before Matt killed himself, the primary doctor told the parents that Matt was not suicidal - that he merely was trying to "push their buttons." During the week before Matt's suicide, Lauren found this message on his computer screen: "Don¹t bother crying at my funeral. Your fucked up son, Matthew." When Lauren told the primary doctor about the message, he dismissed it as another dramatic attempt by Matt to push his parents' buttons.

Matthew's primary psychologist was wrong - dead wrong. Just a few days later, Matt killed himself by hanging, just as he had attempted to do a few months earlier.

Lauren Fischer and Louis Couto, II, filed a malpractice suit against both the primary psychologist and the second psychologist for the wrongful death of their son, Matthew Couto, in the Superior Court of the State of Arizona, County of Maricopa. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount in October, 2003.

Partners in the Phoenix law firm of Snyder and Wenner, P.C., Howard Synder and David Wenner were the lead attorneys in the Matthew Couto case. They have taken the issue of suicide beyond the courtroom to work on preventing other suicides. David began his career not in law, but in social work, where he developed an appreciation for the challenges and the importance of working to improve people's lives. As a result, he is often sought out nationally to consult in cases involving mental health issues. Howard is known as one of the most successful medical malpractice lawyers in the country, comparable to New York's Tom Moore. Both attorneys are recognized by the Best Lawyers in America®.

Snyder & Wenner, P.C.
2200 E. Camelback Road,
Suite 213 Phoenix,
Arizona 85016

HowardSnyder@snyderwenner.com

(602) 224-0005 Telephone
(602) 381-8997 Facsimile

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