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Murder suicide ruling in mother/son train incident

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May 22nd, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Investigators in Iowa have concluded their investigation into an incident that took place at around 5-a.m. May 4th in Belle Plaine, where a mother and son were struck by a train. Authorities say based on evidence collected at the home of 36-year old Teresa Gerleman, interviews of Union Pacific Railroad employees, video footage from the Union Pacific engine, and a multitude of a sundry interviews, the conclusion is Gerleman committed suicide, and pulled her eight-year old son Henry Fields into the path of the train. Both died at the scene.

Evidence at the impact site indicates Gerleman waited near the railroad tracks for the Union Pacific train to approach. She and her son can be seen on video crossing the tracks and as the train draws near. She then returned to the center of the tracks and at the last moment pulled her son into the path of the train.