Salt Lake County father allegedly tried to kill self, disabled son

A Salt Lake County man was being held on $100,000 bail Friday after police arrested him for allegedly trying to kill himself and his disabled adult son with a drug overdose Christmas night.

The 57-year-old man remained behind bars on suspicion of second-degree felony attempted murder, according to Salt Lake County jail records. He had been arrested and booked on Wednesday.

A probable cause statement said Unified Police officers were called to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray to investigate the overdoses.

After being informed of his right to remain silent, the man told police that he was depressed after having gotten into an argument with his wife that ended with her demanding he leave the family home.

"He was feeling overwhelmed. He said he is the primary caretaker for his son, who has cerebral palsy," the statement from the arresting officer notes. "[The father] said he wanted to die and didn't want to burden anyone else with his son's care."

Police said the father told them that late Christmas night he had ground up 10 Trazodone pills and mixed them with NyQuil cold remedy. Trazodone is a commonly prescribed sleep-inducing and anti-anxiety medication; NyQuil contains alcohol.

"[The father] said he wanted both of them to die. He said the medication didn't work. He said he has a gun [but] didn't want to use the gun because he said it was too messy," the statement adds.

Around noon Wednesday, the father took himself and his son to the hospital for treatment.

The son was released to the care of his mother.

No court date had been set for the father as of Friday.

remims@sltrib.com