Tim Yergeau dies by suicide following botched child porn raid

A former Connecticut Planned Parenthood honcho took his own life days after police failed to arrest him on child pornography charges — botching the raid by knocking down the door of the suspect’s New Haven neighbor.

Tim Yergeau, 36, the former director of strategic communications at the Southern New England branch of Planned Parenthood, died by suicide on Tuesday amid a child pornography investigation in Connecticut last week.

“The person who died was definitely the suspect in a child pornography investigation and the person who committed suicide,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson told the New Haven Registrar.

Five days earlier, members of the Special Victims Unit investigating the child pornography case reportedly broke down the door of Yergeau’s neighbor — and handcuffed the woman before realizing they had raided the wrong apartment.

“They obviously hit the wrong door,” Jacobson told the outlet.

New Haven police’s internal affairs investigators are now looking into how cops botched the raid, according to the article.

“Unfortunately, a mistake was made,” Jacobson said.

“We feel for the woman and we’re going to do everything we can to make it right,” he added.

While Jacobson declined to confirm Yergeau was the suspect of the child pornography investigation, his neighbor, and the state Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner both confirmed that he died Tuesday morning.

The medical examiner also confirmed he died by suicide.

After leaving Planned Parenthood, Yergeau began working at the Long Wharf Theatre in August 2022 as its marketing and communications director, according to the organization’s website.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn the developments of the last 24 hours,” a spokesperson for the theater told the outlet. “Given the difficult news, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

According to the Long Wharf Theatre website, Yergeau had also previously worked for the New Haven Free Public Library Foundation.

Police reportedly said that since there are two open investigations into the matter, they will not release the application for the search warrant or provide information about what was found in Yergeau’s apartment until they confirm no other suspects were involved.

The state of Connecticut can also decide to withhold the warrant.

Yergeau’s neighbor Stacey Wezenter, told the outlet she relives being handcuffed every time she now walks down the apartment’s hallway.

“What if I had a gun permit? What if I came down the hallway with a gun? Would I have gotten shot? What if my 4-year-old had woken up? Would they have shot him?” Wezenter said. “You just don’t do that to people.” 

Police entered her apartment around 6 a.m. and began systematically moving through the home with their guns drawn, she reportedly recalled.

“I started running down the hallway, it was just like a movie. They had guns and flashlights on me,” Wezenter said. “They put me against the wall and handcuffed me. I was crying and saying, ‘What’s happening?’”

Officers repeatedly asked her where the man was located while moving through the rooms of her apartment, according to the article.

“I was like, ‘What man? I’m here with my children,’” the mother said. “They asked, ‘Who’s Tim? ‘ and I said that’s my neighbor downstairs.” 

After officers noticed toys belonging to her 4-year-old son, they reportedly realized they were not in the correct apartment.

Officers told her they had been conducting surveillance of her neighbor who was the focus of their investigation.

Wezenter told the outlet she had planned to bring a plate of Easter leftovers to Yergeau on Monday but accidentally fell asleep with her son.

“I was planning on going down there and talking to him,” she said. “I just thought that maybe a small act of compassion might help.” 

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.