Florida Couple Planned Suicide Pact with Son After Watching Stephen King Movie and Eating Steak, Police Say
LEHIGH ACRES, FLORIDA — A Florida couple is accused of attempting a chilling suicide pact with their adult son — a plan that allegedly involved a final steak dinner, a Stephen King movie, and a box cutter. Authorities say the parents tried to slit each other’s throats before turning the blade on their son, but all three survived.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, 59-year-old Barbara Bates and 64-year-old Neil Bates were arrested after deputies discovered the grisly scene inside their Lehigh Acres home on November 3. Investigators say Barbara admitted she planned the family’s death over several months due to financial struggles, health issues, and her son’s Asperger’s diagnosis.
Police: Mother Planned “Final Meal and Movie” Before Attack
A probable cause affidavit obtained by local outlet WFTX states that Barbara had purchased sleeping pills and alcohol with the intention of sedating her family before carrying out the killings. She allegedly told police the family was facing eviction and feared becoming homeless.
On the day of the incident, Barbara bought steak from Publix on Homestead Road and chose the Stephen King-inspired horror film “The Long Walk” as their “final family event.”
“Halfway through the movie, Neil drank alcohol while their son consumed a handful of sleeping pills,” the affidavit says. “Afterward, they all went to the master bedroom, where Neil used a box cutter to slice his own neck.”
When Neil’s wound wasn’t deep enough, Barbara allegedly took the blade and cut his throat again before turning to their son, slashing his neck near the ear and slicing downward to the larynx.
Family Survived — Mother “Showed No Remorse”
Authorities say Barbara stayed in the room for nearly 40 minutes, watching as her husband and son bled before cutting her own wrists. She eventually called 911, telling dispatchers she “had cut the other occupants.”
Deputies arrived around 4:38 p.m. and found the family alive but severely injured. Paramedics rushed them to a local hospital, where doctors said all three were expected to recover.
Barbara allegedly told officers at the hospital that she “still wished the plan had succeeded” and showed no remorse.
According to investigators, the couple’s son, who has developmental disabilities, told detectives he panicked after realizing what was happening and begged his parents to stop.
Both Parents Face Serious Charges
Barbara Bates is charged with attempted murder and aggravated child abuse, while Neil Bates faces criminal attempt to commit a life felony and aggravated abuse of a disabled adult. Both remain held without bond at the Lee County Jail.
Investigators say the couple admitted they had been overwhelmed by “family difficulties, medical issues, job loss, and the threat of eviction.”
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