Two boys dead after their father throws them off hotel balcony

Sunday, May 28, 2006 

A father and his two sons are dead after he threw them off the Loews Hotel balcony 15 floors above the ground in Miami, Florida. Dr. Edward van Dyk, 43, threw both of his sons, 4 and 8, off the hotel balcony and then jumped off the balcony himself.

Police say that van Dyk and his wife Qinuo were having problems in their marriage but were getting ready to celebrate their ten year wedding anniversary and did not have a fight before the tragedy. Police also say that van Dyk was attempting to get back at his wife for the problems.

According to Qinuo, she heard one of the boys yelling. When she got to the room to see what was wrong, all she saw was her husband jumping off the balcony. She then looked off the balcony to find her two sons and her husband lying motionless on the roof of the hotel, two floors above the ground.

"It's unfortunate that this gentleman was so selfish and in an effort to get back at his wife he took the two most loved people in the world away from her. It's a terrible tragedy," said Bobby Hernandez a spokesman for the Miami Beach Police Department.

Van Dyk was working out of Alton Memorial Hospital and was a doctor of radiation oncology and was employed at the hospital for just over one year. He was also in charge of the hospital's cancer unit.

"We are shocked and saddened by this tragedy and we offer our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Van Dyk and her family," said Rob Shelton spokesman for the hospital.

Van Dyk left no note or clues as to the reasons why he killed his sons and himself. Guests in rooms near the incident did not hear any noise. The family was on vacation from Alton, Illinois.

Sources

• David Fischer. "Doctor throws sons, self off hotel balcony" — Chicago Sun-Times, May 28, 2006

• "Man throws sons off hotel balcony" — BBC News, May 28, 2006