Found Deceased NY - Dr. Tamara Saukin, 44, Staten Island, 18 Nov 2020

Her taking a break from her “main” job makes me believe that she was trying to get her life back on track.

Severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts run in my family (very unfortunately). I have had multiple family members have to give up their jobs because they literally just couldn't function day to day most of the time due to the depression. :(
 
The New York State Unified Court System offers a publicly accessible court records search here:

Welcome

I understand that publicly accessible database information is allowable under TOS.

Searching on Dr. Saukin’s name brings up Case #CR-002102-20RI involving an NYPD arrest:

Incident and Arrest
Incident
  • Date:May 31, 2020
  • CJTN:69369166Y
Arrest
  • Date & Time:May 31, 2020 21:55
  • Arrest #:S20603041
Officer
  • Agency:NYPD
  • Command:
The case results indicate the next action is a scheduled Richmond Criminal Court appearance on 12/01/2020.

I do not know where to pull up the arrest record.

There is a defense attorney listed, so she presumably is planning to appear and offer a defense, and of course is accorded a legal presumption of innocence.
 
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The New York State Unified Court System offers a publicly accessible court records search here:

Welcome

I understand that publicly accessible database information is allowable under TOS.

Searching on Dr. Saukin’s name brings up Case #CR-002102-20RI involving an NYPD arrest:


The case results indicate the next action is a scheduled Richmond Criminal Court appearance on 12/01/2020.

I do not know where to pull up the arrest record.

There is a defense attorney listed, so she presumably was planning to appear and offer a defense, and of course is accorded a legal presumption of innocence.

At the side of the page you pulled up, there is a "case details" - click on charges. Probably where the NYP got their information.
 
From the NY Courts page. Have to screenshot because copy-paste doesn't give the full list of charges. Basically, she was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and under the influence of drugs.
 

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How very tragic!

Charge Detail Disposition/Sentence
VTL 1192.4A 4A Unclassified Misdemeanor, 1 count, Arrest charge, Arraignment charge
DescriptionDwai Combined Drugs/alcohol
VTL 1192.1 01 Infraction, 1 count, Arrest charge, Arraignment charge
DescriptionDwai Spec Vehicle 1st Off
VTL 1192.3 03 Unclassified Misdemeanor, 1 count, Arrest charge, Arraignment charge
DescriptionOp Mv While Intoxicated 1
VTL 1192.4 04
**TOP CHARGE** Unclassified Misdemeanor, 1 count, Arrest charge, Arraignment charge
DescriptionOp Mv Impaired By Drugs 1

Key to codes used
Article 31 | NYS Vehicle Traffic Law | Alcohol Drug Offenses.

So that happened last May.
That may be where NYP got their info!
 
From the link above: Welcome

It would seem she voluntarily surrendered her medical license on the same day as her last court appearance October 9th.

Also, that "top charge" NY. Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs (VTL 1192.4) — Cyr & Associates
Ergo Section 230/13 Laws of the State of New York
would have covered her until such time as she would be found guilty?
Did she expect to be found guilty?
Was she facing the complete loss of her licence?
her career gone forever as well as that life changing accident in 2015?

It's the saddest thing. The saddest ever.
 
She had 6 long months to consider all that had happened.
She had to contemplate a new career.
For 6 months, or certainly from the October 9 date when her lawyer possibly advised her to apply under Section 230/13.
No disciplinary action would occur until she was found guilty if that is what would have happened.

<modsnip>

I was unable to locate her homeopathic or naturopathic training academy.
Violations would most likely have affected that too, I'm unclear regarding US regulations.
Her practice insurance would likely have risen.

Though all of that is utterly awful for her, it does not explain her disappearance, if it was voluntary.
Why would she have chosen to disappear in the course of a walk with her mother?
She wasn't a prisoner.
It still makes zero sense to voluntarily disappear under these circumstances.
 
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I have been thinking about this and see her as a very focused and intense individual who doesn't seem to have ever failed at anything, in fact has only excelled. Competitive figure skater, classical guitarist, physician, she didn't just do these things, she excelled at them. She has never been a failure in anybody's eyes.
She is also described as a caring, kind individual who worked hard at meeting other peoples needs.
I think she just snapped, and was not able to face her family or friends and just hit the streets.
I wonder if her missing poster is being distributed all over the Greater New York area homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
<modsnip>
MOO MOO MOO
 
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Respectfully snipped. *If* she self harmed, it never does make sense. Their heads lie to them, malfunctioning, telling them there are no alternatives.

Amateur opinion and speculation
This is true.
What I'm finding weird though is the apparent lack of planning, letting her mother wait.
I know we're working entirely in the dark here, we know nothing about her personality, only her achievements.
We are told that she had wonderful rapport with her patients and many are expressing dismay at her disappearance.
We are told she was extremely compassionate and empathetic. These are stories about a well rounded human being.
The sudden nature of her disappearance is out of sync entirely with this portrait.
You go back to car, if you're cold/tired/whatever, I want to do some more walking...
The walk would have been completed when her mother decided she'd had enough. It would only have been a matter of driving her home and then she would be free to do whatever it is she intended to do.
That's where I'm stuck.
 
She had 6 long months to consider all that had happened.
She had to contemplate a new career.
For 6 months, or certainly from the October 9 date when her lawyer possibly advised her to apply under Section 230/13.
No disciplinary action would occur until she was found guilty if that is what would have happened.
<snip>
Though all of that is utterly awful for her, it does not explain her disappearance, if it was voluntary.
Why would she have chosen to disappear in the course of a walk with her mother?
She wasn't a prisoner.
It still makes zero sense to voluntarily disappear under these circumstances.

I am not an attorney nor am I a licensed healthcare practitioner, so this is all My Opinion Only.

From the links posted above, it appears that since the charges are misdemeanors, they are first offenses and did not involve property damage or personal injury. My speculation is that she was stopped for erratic driving of some sort, and that resulted in sobriety testing and the charges.

MDs are held to a higher standard since impairment due to substance abuse could (obviously) have negative health care impacts. My speculation is that the DWAI charges were automatically reportable to the state medical licensing board. That IMO would have triggered a review process that would take into account many factors, including whether there is any evidence of an ongoing abuse issue; whether impairment affected patient care; what substances were involved (over-the-counter / prescription / illegal); etc.

My speculation is that Tamara entered a substance abuse (SA) program following the May 31 incident or following the Oct court appearance / license surrender — or planned to do so following the Dec. 1 hearing. Whatever the licensing board / professional conduct finding were, they did not rise to the level of revoking her license (no impact on healthcare). Surrendering her license means that she could reinstate it — but that is an onerous process that would almost always require successful completion of an SA program. I’m not sure whether the court appearance matters any more in terms of her medical license other than the personal effect it might have on her.

Here’s a link from a NY lawyer’s blog addressing the reinstatement of a medical license following a surrender for SA (I usually don’t like linking to marketing materials, but I found this useful):

Successful Reinstatement of a New York Physician's Medicial License after Substance Abuse Issues. - Walker Medical Law

Even after completing the expensive and lengthy process, there are likely IMO additional barriers to returning to practice, including being able to join an existing practice, malpractice insurance, etc. MOO.

If she is struggling with ongoing SA, I could see a scenario in which a personal slip-up would have a severe impact on her outlook on life. MOO. Even if that was not at all applicable, when one is at the beginning of a review process like this that will determine your ability to practice what you have devoted your entire professional life to doing — that’s a lot to carry and it may seem overwhelming.

Dr. Saukin is gifted and by all accounts loved by her patients. I nonetheless get the sense that she is a private person. There aren’t newspaper stories about her hitting the NYC social scene or attending glamorous events. The thought of personal issues becoming public might also be a heavy weight. Perhaps she was dreading the upcoming court appearance.

I agree, this is heartbreaking. If she is no longer walking this earth, that’s a terrible loss. I hope that she is still with us, gets the help she needs, and realizes that she is loved and respected regardless of her occupational status.
 
I am not an attorney nor am I a licensed healthcare practitioner, so this is all My Opinion Only.

From the links posted above, it appears that since the charges are misdemeanors, they are first offenses and did not involve property damage or personal injury. My speculation is that she was stopped for erratic driving of some sort, and that resulted in sobriety testing and the charges.

MDs are held to a higher standard since impairment due to substance abuse could (obviously) have negative health care impacts. My speculation is that the DWAI charges were automatically reportable to the state medical licensing board. That IMO would have triggered a review process that would take into account many factors, including whether there is any evidence of an ongoing abuse issue; whether impairment affected patient care; what substances were involved (over-the-counter / prescription / illegal); etc.

My speculation is that Tamara entered a substance abuse (SA) program following the May 31 incident or following the Oct court appearance / license surrender — or planned to do so following the Dec. 1 hearing. Whatever the licensing board / professional conduct finding were, they did not rise to the level of revoking her license (no impact on healthcare). Surrendering her license means that she could reinstate it — but that is an onerous process that would almost always require successful completion of an SA program. I’m not sure whether the court appearance matters any more in terms of her medical license other than the personal effect it might have on her.

Here’s a link from a NY lawyer’s blog addressing the reinstatement of a medical license following a surrender for SA (I usually don’t like linking to marketing materials, but I found this useful):

Successful Reinstatement of a New York Physician's Medicial License after Substance Abuse Issues. - Walker Medical Law

Even after completing the expensive and lengthy process, there are likely IMO additional barriers to returning to practice, including being able to join an existing practice, malpractice insurance, etc. MOO.

If she is struggling with ongoing SA, I could see a scenario in which a personal slip-up would have a severe impact on her outlook on life. MOO. Even if that was not at all applicable, when one is at the beginning of a review process like this that will determine your ability to practice what you have devoted your entire professional life to doing — that’s a lot to carry and it may seem overwhelming.

Dr. Saukin is gifted and by all accounts loved by her patients. I nonetheless get the sense that she is a private person. There aren’t newspaper stories about her hitting the NYC social scene or attending glamorous events. The thought of personal issues becoming public might also be a heavy weight. Perhaps she was dreading the upcoming court appearance.

I agree, this is heartbreaking. If she is no longer walking this earth, that’s a terrible loss. I hope that she is still with us, gets the help she needs, and realizes that she is loved and respected regardless of her occupational status.
That makes an awful lot of sense.
I do too, hope she is still with us.
Last week, we had an amber alert, a little boy.
All hope of his being found alive was diminishing but we were praying still. Then, incredibly, he was found alive.
I swore I'd pray harder for the next missing person case, whether or not I'd have faith at the time.
Hold off on erecting that steel wall we place around ourselves when it starts to look as though the worst outcome is the most likely outcome and all hope becomes dashed.
The point when SAR becomes a recovery operation.
Miracles happen .
I hope she is protected fully in whatever realm she occupies.
 
I saw that , about Connecticut.
I'm fine if she 'snapped' in this manner, it means there is hope she is alive and while there is life, there is hope.
Everything else requires adjustments.
She only hurt herself, after all.
Her discipline and her experience would stand to her in making whatever adjustments are necessary, If she is found guilty.

But, realistically, it looks as though NYPD believe she never left that park.
That chopper has been up a lot.
They must have good reason for that.
Where is she?
It may be that there has been no activity on her credit cards or phone records since that morning and no one has seen her and she doesn't appear on any cameras in the area therefor she must still be there. Her mother would know if she had carried a rope in to hang herself and a gun shot would certainly have been heard.
 
That makes an awful lot of sense.
I do too, hope she is still with us.
Last week, we had an amber alert, a little boy.
All hope of his being found alive was diminishing but we were praying still. Then, incredibly, he was found alive.
I swore I'd pray harder for the next missing person case, whether or not I'd have faith at the time.
Hold off on erecting that steel wall we place around ourselves when it starts to look as though the worst outcome is the most likely outcome and all hope becomes dashed.
The point when SAR becomes a recovery operation.
Miracles happen .
I hope she is protected fully in whatever realm she occupies.
A good reminder Kittythehare. You never know...
 
It may be that there has been no activity on her credit cards or phone records since that morning and no one has seen her and she doesn't appear on any cameras in the area therefor she must still be there. Her mother would know if she had carried a rope in to hang herself and a gun shot would certainly have been heard.
Did she even have a mobile phone or money anywhere on her person? Possibly no phone on her person.?
ETA, is it more likely she carried a phone or not?
 

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