A concerned Florida dad, whose two children were blown away by their deranged mom, desperately told cops that his ex-wife “was going to harm the kids.”
West Palm Beach police on Wednesday released 911 tapes of Richard Berman, telling them he and a family member received email from Jennifer Allen, 48, making them fear for the worst.
“My ex-wife said she was going to harm the kids and that I should get over there ASAP,” Richard Berman told a 911 dispatcher at 8 a.m. Monday, about an hour after Jennifer Berman sent the troubling messages.
“She sent me an email that she did the best thing for our family and then she sent her cousin a text that she was going to kill the kids and herself.”
The 911 dispatcher asked Berman if his ex-wife had any weapons.
“I remember she had her dad’s old rifles,” the dad responded.
Tragically, Jennifer Berman followed through on her threats, gunning down her 16-year-old son Alex and 15-year-old daughter Jacqueline before killing herself, authorities said.
Police said they still have many details to piece together in this horrific murder-suicide,
“What we have to be cautious of is not to rush to judgment as to how they died. And that is why we wait for the medical examiner,” West Palm Beach Police spokesman David Lefont said.
Jennifer Berman was working long hours and had recently become unhinged under the pressure, neighbors and friends said.
“Going through a divorce, foreclosure, a lot of that stuff which, it’s an upsetting thing,” family friend Brian McManus told news station WSVN.
“When you’re going through a divorce and having to sell the beautiful house in this neighborhood, and it’s just she just seemed like she had been upset lately.”
The teens, Alex and Jacqueline, attended Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.
Alex was an accomplished cello player while Jacqueline was a straight A student, classmates said.
“This came as a giant shock,” said Jay Kaufman, a family friend and spokesman.
“We are trying to cope with the shock right now. Family and friends are beside ourselves. We did not see this coming and this is one of those things that hits you like lightning.”