Police say 82-year-old Dennis Brandt shot and killed his 81-year-old wife, Barbara, before turning the gun on himself at the Apple Rehab facility on Berlin Road in Cromwell Friday afternoon.
A man shot and killed his 81-year-old wife at the Apple Rehab, on Berlin Road in Cromwell around 11 a.m. on Friday and then shot and killed himself, according to officials from the nursing home.
Officials from Apple Rehab said the woman, a long-term resident. had lived there for a few years.
It appears that the woman’s husband went into her room, shot his wife and then shot himself, according to Apple Rehab officials.
Police identified the victim as 81-year-old Barbara Brandt, and her husband, 82-year-old Dennis Brandt. Both died of gunshot wounds, police said.
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Apple Rehab's Cromwell location provides nursing and therapy services.
Brandt had a room by herself and was not in a double occupancy room.
Police tape was wrapped around a vehicle in the parking lot and a police vehicle was blocking the entrance to the facility, but the facility has resumed normal operations.
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The KinderCare next door to Apple Rehab was on lockdown, according to staff there.
Apple Rehab issued the following statement:
Michael Landi, vice president of operations for Apple Rehab, provided the following statement:
It is with great sadness to inform you that the husband of one of our residents at Apple Rehab Cromwell took the life of his wife and then his own this morning.
The resident, who was 81 years of age had been with us for three years was in her room at the time of the tragedy. She did not have a roommate and there were no witnesses. Our staff reacted immediately by calling 911. No other residents or staff were injured or involved.
There were no known previous threats and the motive is unknown to us at this time.
Our focus will remain on our staff and residents and we will be providing any and all resources and counseling services that they may need to get through this tragic event, many of which are already onsite.
We will provide you more details as we get them but currently we will be working closely with the Cromwell Police Department and other state agencies.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health issued a statement, saying they extend sympathies to the victims, families, and staff associated with the incident that occurred Friday morning at Apple Rehab Cromwell.
The facility is licensed as an 85-bed chronic and convalescent nursing home, according to the state Department of Public Health. They said the DPH Facility Licensing and Investigations Section will continue to monitor the quality of care and services provided at the center to ensure a safe environment.
The department did not have any further comment.
No additional information was immediately available.
SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: If you are in Crisis and in Connecticut, call 211 and press 1, or call/text 988, or chat www.988lifeline.org; In an Emergency, call or text 911.
Here is information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health. If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.
