Police: Woman killed husband, child

Detective said he wouldn't speculate on history of mental illness, post-partum psychosis

The Toronto Star, Curtis Rush, Staff Reporter, Dec. 3, 2004

Andre Labbe holds her children Brigitte, left, and Zoe in a photo taken on Mother's Day, 2003. Zoe and her mother died Dec. 1, while Brigitte was severely injured.

Andrea Labbe killed her husband, Brian Langer, her daughter Zoe, 3, and critically wounded another daughter, Brigitte, before stabbing herself to death, police confirmed today at a news conference. “This is a tragic case. There are no good answers for the families,” Detective Sergeant Chris Buck told reporters, but he wouldn' t speculate on whether Labbe had a history of mental illness or whether she was suffering from some sort of post-partum psychosis.

She had three children, all 3 and under, including Brigitte, 2, and Margot, seven months.

“We know now the hows, we know the whos. We don' t have all the answers as to the whys and we may never have all the answers to the whys,” Buck said.

The horrific scene was uncovered when emergency crews rushed to the two-storey home on Concord Ave. near Dupont St. and Ossington Ave. Wednesday shortly after 7:30 a.m. following a 911 call from a man who said his wife had stabbed him in the stomach.

Langer was taken to St. Michael' s Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The three girls were taken to the Hospital for Sick Children.

Zoe, who had no vital signs, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Brigitte, who turns 2 tomorrow, has regained consciousness and is in stable condition, Buck said.

Buck said police would be examining Labbe' s medical records, but that he would not release the results.

Buck said he broke the news of the post-mortem results to almost 20 members of the families last night. He wouldn' t say how the Labbe family reacted to the news that Andrea had committed the crime.

The autopsy results, along with forensic analysis, showed that Langer, 47, was stabbed in the torso, daughter Zoe, 3, was stabbed in the neck and Labbe, 26, suffered a self-inflicted stab wound to the neck.

Brigitte was also stabbed but she is expected to live.

The detective added that Margot, the seven-month-old baby who was unharmed, has been transferred from the Children' s Aid Society to relatives. Brigitte will be released to relatives as well when she is well enough to leave hospital, Buck said.

Buck was visibly shaken by the events.

“Brigitte turns 2 years old tomorrow,” he said in a halting, quaking voice. “The families have to try to get past what' s happened and move on to the many tomorrows. We have Christmas around the corner.”

The crime has touched thousands of people and that is reflected in the dozens of flowers that have been left at the house and the scenes of many people who knew the family, openly weeping in front of the house and trying to come to grips with the tragedy.

Langer was president of a company that sells a computer program used in printing direct mail.

Thousands of business clients across the United States are also grieving. In email postings on a group website and in interviews, they all described him as a genuine, caring and professional man who will be sorely missed.

Buck called for people to respect the privacy of the families at this time of great sorrow.

“The families are now in the process of preparing for three funerals,” he said. “They are all grieving together. As a community, we can grieve with them. But also, as a community, we need to respect the privacy of these families. We need to let go and we need to let these families get on with their lives.”